The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel
by captainbartholomew
Summary: It's been a year since Joanna 'Jo' Davis became CM Punk's adopted daughter, but things have changed over the past year and not for the better. With enemies lining up to change Punk for the worse and Jo being marked with a target on her back as a possible threat to Punk's career, can the heroine get her father back and become the Warrior Angel everyone knows she is?
1. When the Fog Rolls In

**Ahem… I own nothing except Joanna 'Jo' Davis… all events and the majority of information is fiction unless otherwise noted, so please don't sue me… Read On…**

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

When The Fog Rolls In

(XXXX)

_April 3rd, 2013_

After two whole years of watching and anticipating everything that had happened in the WWE. I wasn't prepared for this. I was never as prepared as I thought I would be. Things had changed so much since the last time I had stood here. It was… odd.

"You okay lass?" questioned the redhead man that stood beside me as I sat on the stage looking out at the empty arena pondering life.

"Leave her alone Shamo, she's had a rough last couple of weeks and I think she is thinking about the endgame that is bound to happen tonight," the other companion that I had standing behind me stated.

Endgame, what a perfect way to describe what had happened over the last couple months?

I can't help, but think that maybe if I had done something different maybe this wouldn't be happening now. Maybe my adoptive family would still be intact, maybe I wouldn't have been tore away from Colt, maybe Zack wouldn't of quit, maybe if Heyman hadn't shown up I would still be Punk's girl, and if I was that then The Shield wouldn't have put a target on my back.

So much had changed and here I sat ready to team up with two men who had specifically requested me to join their partnership to take down The Shield. It was most indefinitely something I would have not seen myself doing in my time here pretty much ever.

"Jo, you going to be okay kid?" questioned the Viper as he put his hand on my shoulder as I let a little sob escape me. How had things ended up like this?

"I'll be okay, Rand," I say as I let the tears slide down my face while I turn to face the Viper and Celtic Warrior. "It's just this was the night we became a family and now it's broken."

"Broken things can be fixed, Angel," Sheamus said as he smiled down at my petite frame as I wiped away the last of my tears, "Plus knowing you, you have that power to fix it more than you think."

"And," Randy smiled, "You have me and the giant jar of mayonnaise over there to help you along the way. And of course, you have Mike too."

"God, not again you two," I moaned as I shook my head turning bright red, "Him and I do not have this chemistry you seem to think that we do."

"Oh please lassie, we all know that he likes you. Did you see the way he was eyeing you at that house show a couple week ago?" Sheamus teased as I rolled my eyes beginning to walk away from my companions. "Where ya goin' Jo, we was just kiddin!"

"To go get ready for the show, boys, I can't look like this on the Grandest Stage of Them All. I expect you two to be in your costumes and ready for our entrance." I smile and wink as the boys laugh at me.

They groaned together in unison as I walk away with a smirk plastered across my face, but after I'm out of their range my facial expression changes as I pop open my locket that the boys had given me for Christmas 2012. It was the picture from WrestleMania Hall of Fame from the previous year of Zack, Colt, Punk, and I.

"How has so much changed?" I question shaking my head and looking down at the necklace as I felt I had a tad of anger causing me to slam the locket shut as I clutch it in my right hand. "Tonight, this ends, permanently. The Shield will die at my hand. I'll get my father back. The world will be right again."

That's what I wanted anyway, but was that going to happen was another question entirely.

I continued toward my dressing room as I couldn't help thinking about when and how this all started, so many, many months ago. I blamed myself for this whole mess, truthfully I did, but no one knew that.

(XXXX)

_July 2012 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

"Come on, Punk. I don't want to be late for the show." Zack Ryder yelled as CM Punk scrambled trying to find the last of his wrestling supplies that was strewn about the hotel room that he was sharing with his adopted daughter, Joanna "Jo" Davis.

"I'm coming, Ryder just get your broski underwear out of your ass." Punk teased as Zack rolled his eyes. Punk checked his bag to see if he was forgetting anything and glanced around the hotel room as he grabbed the key card ushering Zack out in the process as the two wrestlers headed for the rental car and to the arena to get ready for that evening's Monday Night Raw show.

"Where's broskette, isn't she supposed to be with us?" questioned Zack using his favored nickname for Joanna as the two wrestlers piled into the rental and began their short drive toward the arena. Zack was the older brother in this very irrational family as everyone knew and was overprotective of the young nineteen year old girl.

"Where do you think she is?" Punk said with a shake of his head, "Already at the arena training with Randy. That girl has some ridiculous notion in her head that she's going to be a wrestler like the rest of us. She already spun Vince around her little finger and got a contract out of him, but I got to him first so he put a fine line, in bold print I may add, that says she has to graduate from college first. So when she's not doing school work on-line, she's working her tail off training. I guess there are worse things she could be getting into right?"

"Very true," responded Zack as he smiled, "I do command Jo though. She wants this Punk and something tells me it's in her blood and even though we didn't want this to happen we knew it was coming. All of us knew it was coming."

Punk huffed at his friend's statement, "I know, but I wanted her to be able to live that normal life every person should get to have and instead she's being hit with all the glitz and glam ever since we adopted her. I just want her intentions to be right, that's all."

"They are right bro, they always have been and always will be," Zack answered, "You just worry too much about her sometimes, I think." Zack explained as he put the car in park in the parking lot next to the arena and got out of the vehicle.

"I have the right to," muttered Punk under his breath so Ryder wouldn't hear him, "I'm her father."

(XXXX)

1…2…3…kick.

1…2…3…punch.

1…2…3…kick.

Jo wiped her brow as she continued throwing punches at the WWE's resident Legend Killer and dancing around the ring like a ballerina would as if she were performing on a stage in front of thousands. This was the third time in last two days that she and Randy were out here practicing and training. She wanted to be the best, the best in the world, like someone else in her family, but if the young woman was going to do that she had to train and be ready for whatever was going to come her way.

There was nothing more that she wanted in the entire world than to be able to stand alongside her father, the WWE Champion, and be able to take on any foe that approached her.

"KID," Randy Orton shouted as Joanna took one last punch at him signaling that it was time to finish up for the evening and go get ready for the show, but that last punch was extra hard, not on purpose causing the Viper to get the wind knocked out of him for a couple seconds. Not realizing what she had done because she had been so in tune with her music from her iPod, she quickly realized that Randy lay crumpled in half.

"OH MY GOD!" cried Jo as she ripped her ear buds out of her ears and quickly went to Orton as she helped him stand. "Randy, I'm so sorry! I was just in the zone and I completely forgot that it was time to get ready for the show… and I was just so pumped… and… and…"

"Shhh…" chucked Randy as he patted Jo on the shoulder, "I'm alright, kid that just means you're ready."

"Ready? Ready for what?" questioned Jo skeptically. Randy smiled as he grabbed her wrist and motioned her to follow him. He held the ropes open for the beautiful young woman as the two exited together.

Randy led her down a way of corridors and into the costume department.

"Rands, what are we doing here?" questioned Jo as she looked around the thousands of outfits that the wrestlers had for different appearances. She fingered through some costumes and appeared to examine one that seemed to be the Gobbly Gooker.

"Every great diva has made great strides in fashion in the past, and you my dear, are no exception. So after several months of you training your ass off, Punk and I decided that it was time for you to receive a reward marking your progress. Thus this idea has been born!" Orton proclaimed.

"So wait, you're telling me I can play dress up?" questioned the woman as Randy nodded his head.

"Whatever you choose, will be your ring gear for your career here in the WWE. Punk told me to tell you though make sure it would be something he would approve of." Randy explained to her.

"Of course he did, well Mr. Orton, let's get to work!" cried Joanna.

"What on earth makes you think I'm staying here?" questioned Randy annoyed at having to watch Jo try on clothes.

"Well because you're my best guy friend who doesn't even have a match on Raw tonight and I value your opinion and you wouldn't want me to accidently leak those photos from after the Christmas party last year to a dirt sheet would you?" smirked Jo playfully at her best friend.

"You little…" Randy muttered shaking his head, "Blackmail, no wonder your Punk's kid."

"I know I'm just adorable." Jo answered with a smirk as she yanked Randy along behind her to help her find the perfect wrestling attire for her wardrobe.

It took a little over an hour for Jo to find something that Randy approved of. It took a little over two hours to find something that Jo and Randy both approved of. Randy moaned as he thought that there was no end in sight, but just as he thought that did Joanna emerge in something stunning.

Her long dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail out of her face allowing her to show off her shimmering bright green eyes. She wore a dark purple sports bra that covered the perfect amount of skin so that Punk would approve of it. Her pants were carpi in length and the same purple color with a white rose emblem coming up the side of each leg. The boots she wore were traditional with high laces, but yet were still purple in color. Over of all of this she had put a short sleeved long caped cardigan with a hood that had was a light shade of lilac.

"Well Rands, what do ya' think?" questioned Jo as she twirled around for him as Randy gawked at the young woman in stunning disbelief. While Randy tried to form a coherent sentence someone else spoke up to admire Jo's beauty and choice of clothing.

"You look beautiful," spoke a voice that caused Jo to twirl around and stare at who had spoken to her.

"Ummm… thank you, Miz," Jo said blushing at The Awesome One, who smiled his wonderful ice melting smirk at her.

"You're welcome," said Miz as he looked to see that Orton was now gawking at him, "I… uh… I got to go… you know show to do and all I was just down here getting… uh stuff…"

Before Jo knew what had hit her, Miz was gone and Randy had finally regained his composure.

"I should've killed him when I had the chance," Randy complained as Jo shook her head at the Viper.

"Don't be so overprotective, Rand, you're acting like Punk. So honestly, what do you think of this outfit?" Jo asked again. Randy paused before answering the young diva's question.

"You look beautiful, girl. We're going to have to beat those fan boys off with a stick." Randy answered as Jo chuckled, "Now come on, we got to get you changed and ready for the show. Something tells me tonight is going to be a big night for everyone around here."

(XXXX)

"AJ, we've been through so much together, please will you marry me?" questioned Daniel Bryan as AJ Lee, Daniel Bryan, Kane, and CM Punk stood in the ring together.

"Please tell me he's kidding, right?" Randy asked as Jo shook her head watching the monitor backstage waiting for Punk to get done that evening to rid back to the hotel with him and Zack.

"I don't think he is bro," Zack commented as he watched the train wreck that was happening right in front of all of them, "Bryan has done crazy things before, but this is kind off his rocker crazy."

"No kidding," Jo muttered shaking her head feeling sorry for the goat man, "AJ is psycho, I don't understand why anyone would want to deal with her."

"You know, she is the one who helped us find you after Barrett kidnapped you," Zack tried to reason with her; "You do owe her in a weird twist of fate sort of way."

"Yea, but that was before she went and lost her marbles while Kane and Bryan fought over her," Randy argued to make the point mute.

"NO! NO! NO!" screamed AJ snapping the three observers in front of the screen to snap back to attention of the drama unfolding in the ring, "I don't want you, or you, I want… I want… I want him!"

AJ twirled around and pointed her finger at Punk launching herself into a major make out session with the resident WWE Champion, who happily accepted it.

"What the fuck?" questioned Jo with eyes wide and completely confused by her father's actions.

Punk immediately grabbed a mic and turning to the camera, "What can I say? I dig crazy chicks."

"And I dig champions," AJ Lee answered as the two begin to kiss again as the show cuts to black signaling that the on air broadcast is over for the evening.

"What just happened?" Zack asked completely baffled as Randy nodded his head along in agreement.

Jo shook her head and began her march toward the guerilla to wait for Punk. Zack and Randy look at each other immediately realizing they better be there to pull, whoever it may end up going to start a fight a part, be there to pull them apart.

When Punk finally emerged from the arena floor with AJ in his arms, the first thing he saw is a steaming daughter standing in the wake impatiently taping her foot, arms crossed over her torso radiating anger.

"Jo," Punk begins to say, but before he can say more is cut off by a look from his daughter.

"Don't you dare Jo me, have you seen the chaos that AJ has been causing the last few weeks Punk? Have you?" screamed Jo as Punk looks down at the geeky diva hanging off his side, "You told me that dating co-workers is always a bad idea because it is dangerous and may lead you down a bad road, yet you're willing to do it! We don't even know how sane this chick is!"

"You little bitch, I AM NOT CRAZY!" shrieked AJ as she launched herself at Jo causing the two to fall onto the ground and wrestle as the two rolled around on the ground clawing, pinching, and pulling at each other plus screaming insults eventually two sets of very strong arms pulled them off the ground to stop the mass hysteria.

"KNOCK IT OFF!" shouted Punk as he stood between the two women. Jo was being held back by Randy and AJ was being held back by Zack. "Joanna, I don't know what's gotten into you, but I'm the parent in this relationship of ours and you do not tell me who I can and can't date. I try and teach you the life lessons, not the other way around, is that understood?"

"Yes," muttered Jo glowering at Punk.

"Now apologize to AJ for what you said," Punk told his daughter as Jo shook her head, "Do it."

With a moan of agony, Jo muttered out an apology to AJ, who smirked at her new boy toy afterwards, glad with the outcome of this situation.

"We'll discuss this more at the hotel, Joanna," growled out Punk, "Can I escort you to your locker room, April?"

"Sure, Punky, but would you be a dear and get me a bottle of water first?" AJ innocently pleaded, as Punk nodded his head at her quickly running into catering to grab it for her turning toward the two wrestlers and young woman, "Listen good you three, especially you, darling little Joanna, I have big plans and you of all people are not going to interfere and ruin them. If you do, well guess what? Your career will never take off and you're friends here along with Punk's will be over. Stay out of my way or you will regret it."

Quickly, she saw Punk running toward her with the water bottle handing it to her as she smiled her crazy smile as the two walk away from the small group of friends.

"Well, it's going to be a fun summer boys, that's for sure." Jo mutters as Zack and Randy nod along in agreement after that encounter with AJ Lee. She just didn't know that would be the first of many trivial times for her in the WWE and it was not going to be good for everyone.

(XXXX)

**Well, I guess this deserves an explanation doesn't it? *looks to Rupert the PlotBunny for help* Stupid bunny, don't even help me… Well my darling readers, I was flipping through channels one night cause I couldn't sleep so what's a crazed college student to do? And wouldn't you know that they have recap of Raw on that late at night!**

**So there I sat watching Punk bounce the urn around like a basketball, and bam all of a sudden Rupert appears and starts whispering to me about how Jo would not want this and how this whole last year and half is important to the progression of the Rebel Angel story.**

**With everything that Punk's done over the year, you don't think his adopted daughter would approve right? While that's why this story was born! To get Jo's take on what has happened and where she stands. Personally, I really love that she wants to take down those disgusting buggers The Shield! And she and The Miz have something going on, what is this?! Something tells me this will be an interesting take on what's been happening in the WWE.**

***Note that as I'm not the religious WWE watcher I used to be (college student, remember?) things aren't going to be perfectly in line with the storyline on Raw/Smackdown. So we'll be doing things my way, but that's what writing is about so yea!**

**So until next time, brush off your account and post something, enjoy your spring break, do some academic planning, and try to find a place to live for the summer! Oh and pretty please leave a review, add a favorite, or add a story alert! Please and Thank you!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	2. Can't Stand the Rain

**Ahem… I own nothing except Joanna 'Jo' Davis… all events and the majority of information is fiction unless otherwise noted, so please don't sue me… Read On…**

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

Can't Stand the Rain

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

I shake my head thinking that the whole fight with AJ was the beginning of this whole disaster. I stare at my reflection in the mirror of the women's locker room getting ready for my big match.

"I think if you don't pay attention to your hair, you might set it on fire," chuckled someone behind me. I turned around and saw who said it and notice that it's not someone who cares dearly about me.

"I don't think it would be a loss to you, you pretty much hate my guts anyway." I respond with a roll of my eyes at the other woman in the room as she sets her bag down and grabs the curling iron from me beginning to curl my hair for me.

"I don't hate you," she reasons, "I think that maybe under different circumstances if I hadn't used your father to gain the Raw GM position, you and I could have been good friends."

"You think?" I ask quite skeptical of her as she nods at me.

"I know," she responds, "You know you shouldn't blame yourself for this whole mess. It's not your fault that he's out there tonight facing who he is. I think I might have given him the crazy bug."

I shake my head at her knowing full well that on some level I caused him to do this. We continue to sit together in silence as she finishes doing my hair for me and I get ready to leave the locker room and head to Randy and Sheamus's shared locker room for the evening.

As I finish up and huff my duffle bag over my shoulder she says something that I wouldn't expect anyone of her character to say.

"Get him back, Jo, this isn't him and it certainly is not the man I knew so few months ago. If there is anyone in the WWE Universe who can do it, it's you." She says as I turn to look at her.

"Thanks AJ, I'll try," I say weakly as I walk away without looking at the woman who helped to trigger this whole situation. "Don't blame yourself either because it's not your fault he snapped. It's mine."

"Jo," AJ tries to say as I shut the door on her and head toward the other locker rooms. It wasn't going to get easier as I went through this evening. It was probably just going to get harder for me to keep my head above water and not drown in my own self-doubt.

I just remembered one thing; I have shed my title of Rebel Angel and now become the Warrior Angel. He caused me to become this. That's what I have become… a warrior.

(XXXX)

_October 2012 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

"There is someone here that I really want you to meet!" Punk announced as he bounced from one foot to another as Jo watched him and shook her head laughing.

It had been a couple months since the whole AJ Lee fight that the two had and both realized that they were acting stupid and put it behind them. Well Punk did anyway, but with AJ running around being General Manager of Raw he has to be nice to her, Jo too. Jo didn't like her from the beginning and now she was in charge of their lives, yea good move there Vince McMahon.

"Come on Jo," Punk said pulling on Jo's wrist, "We're almost there. You'll really like him, I know it!"

"Punk, who on earth are you taking me to meet? Another one of your Indy wrestling buddies?" Jo chuckled, "We remember the last time you did that?"

He rolled his eyes at her. A few months ago, Punk had taken her to meet a few of his Indy friends and one of his friends had said she was nothing more than a charity case. The fella that said it left the place with a black eye and broken nose at Jo's expense.

"No, he's not an Indy buddy, but he was my mentor way back in the day," joked Punk, "When I was back being my usual bad self in Ring of Honor."

"Oh Lord, not a trip down memory lane," Jo muttered as Punk stopped and helped her up onto a crate where they waited for his supposed guest.

"I like my trips down memory lane," grumbled the WWE Champion.

"Okay whatever you say Grandpa, but if I hear one more time about how you and Randy had that feud and one of you went after the other with a pipe wrench I think I might go get said pipe wrench and knock you two out cold with it." Jo told him as Punk rolled his eyes again at her.

"See I knew having Orton train you was a bad idea, he gives you ridiculous ideas about using pipe wrenches," Punk explained shaking his head.

"Yea, because you were such an upstanding role model yourself." Jo answered him sarcastically as he smirked at her knowing full well that Jo knew about his antics from his time here in the WWE.

"Speaking of training, how is it going?" he asked taking a seat beside her on the crate. Jo pulled her shirt up to show him her rib cage as it was covered in black and blue bruises.

"Randy is teaching me how to do an RKO and every time I think I have him unconscious he just shocks me and manages to outmaneuver me. It sucks, the only things I have mastered are these moves I like to call the Angel's Kiss of Death off the top rope in which I do a high flying turn and nail my opponent on the canvas." Jo groaned in frustration and letting her head fall into her hands in aggravation.

"You'll make kid, you always do. You're our Rebel Angel, remember?" Punk smiled as he pulls her in under his shoulder draping it around Jo letting her feel safe having his presence here and appreciating the silence for a few moments with him.

"Oh my goodness, Punk, my boy, is that you?" shouted someone causing Jo's eyes to fly open to see a disgusting sweaty old man with a bald head in a dirty dress shirt and suit jacket standing in front of Punk and Jo.

"Paul, it's good to see you man!" Punk answered as he jumped off the crate and embraced the sweaty man in a hug and gave him a handshake, "How long has it been?"

"Too long, you're WWE Champion, boy why didn't you tell me sooner?" the man asked Punk as he shrugged back. Jo saw a sharp glint in this Paul fellow's eye and did not like the look she was getting from him. It's a look that Punk gets when he has a bad plan that will cause lots of problems. "And who is this beautiful doll?"

"Paul, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Joanna 'Jo' Brooks," Punk said as Jo smiled weakly at Paul.

"Holy shit, you had a kid while I was gone too!" exclaimed Paul as Jo shook her head at Punk while he tried to recover from his mistake of forgetting the word adopted.

"She's my adopted daughter Paul," Punk said as the man gawked at him confused, "It's a long story."

"You know how I feel about kids, Punk." Paul said glowering at Jo in the process.

"I'm nineteen thank you very much," Jo muttered under her breath so no one hears her.

"Well it's nice to meet you Jo," Paul said sticking his hand out for her to shake.

"It's Joanna, only people I know very well are allowed to call me Jo," she corrected him as she reluctantly shook his hand feeling the dirty grime on him making her skin crawl in the process, "So how do you two know each other?"

"Oh, Jo this is Paul Heyman, you remember him from my DVD right?" questioned Punk as she nodded her head. Sure, she remembers the guy, but he wasn't that featured on the DVD since he was not a WWE employee. Plus the little Jo had seen of the man was not good.

"Well come on, my boy, we have much to talk about especially that title you are holding there, you know you might need a manager because I feel the WWE has been cheating you as of late…" Jo heard Heyman say to Punk as they began to walk down a corridor leaving her sitting on the crate in the middle of the hallway staring after them.

Jo figured that her feelings toward Paul were just being chopped up to just that feelings, nothing to serious. Jo thought her intuition was just playing tricks on her.

Man, was she wrong about that.

(XXXX)

Jo watched as Punk fought the good fight and knocked his opponent out of the ring with no problems. She smiled as her father did his signature move and went for the pin fall. She sat on the edge of her seat digging her nails into the couch she was sitting on nervously shaking hoping he could get the win.

"Come on, Punk," whispered Jo as she watched holding her breath watching as he got the pin fall and as the crowd jumped to their feet roaring in approval, "Oh thank goodness."

"He certainly is something else isn't he?" questioned a voice that caused Jo to jump fifteen feet in the air. Jo turned to see Paul Heyman leaning propped up against the door of the dressing room, arms crossed with a serious expression etched into his features.

"Hi Paul," replied Joanna after regaining her wits about herself, "Yea, he certainly is something else and it is definitely what makes him an amazing athlete."

"You know he could be even more amazing, right?" Heyman responded coming closer to the teenage girl as he came and stood closer to Joanna than she was comfortable with, "He could be more powerful, stronger, dominant… anything your mind sees him as…"

Jo looked at the man suspicious yet intrigued at his suggestion. She wanted to help her father, but there was something not right about the way Heyman was looking at her and the dark glint in the back of his eye, but her curiosity intrigued her too much causing her to ask the dreaded question.

"How," Joanna asked raising a Rock-esque eyebrow at the man. Heyman sickly smirked at the innocent girl sitting before as he leaned into her whispering the answer in her ear.

"Easy, get rid of you," answered Heyman .

"Excuse me," questioned Joanna in a louder tone of voice.

"You heard me girlie. You're holding Punk back. He could be so much more without you." Heyman stated simply as he waved his hands around, "You're his weakness, his kryptonite."

"I am most certainly not. I can take care and defend myself. I'm going to be a wrestler just like him." Jo growled out at the man as he shrugged his shoulders locking eyes with her causing Heyman to smirk.

"I can see it in your eyes that you know what I'm talking about. Do your experiences with Chris Jericho and Kane ring a bell?" questioned the promoter at the young woman, "Wrestlers want that title and are willing to do anything for it just like Jericho and Kane did."

"That was different," growled Jo.

"Was it? Was it really, Joanna?" Heyman asked twirling his fingers and catching a glimpse of Punk beginning his trek up the stage back to his dressing room, "You make him weaker. Without you in his life he could be an even better champion, a stronger champion with no flaws. Do you want him to be weak or do you want him to be strong?"

Jo looked at Heyman before speaking her opinion to him on the subject at hand. Before she could do that though, Punk emerged and entered into the dressing room sweaty and smelly from his match.

"Hey Jo, could you-" Punk cut himself off after seeing that Heyman was standing next to his daughter whose features showed that she was not in the least bit happy, "Paul, man, I didn't know you were still here?"

Heyman turned his attention over to Punk and smiled innocently, "I was actually about to leave. Joanna, here, wanted me to watch your match. Good job out there, kid. Big Show didn't seem to cause you any trouble."

Punk sighed. Paul hadn't really watched the match, Big Show wasn't even who he wrestled. He never watched back in the day so surely, he hadn't watched now. Instead he had done something to Jo; Punk could see that he had missed something, something extreme.

"Well I best be on my way," Heyman said beginning to take his leave, but before that he turned around leaning against the door frame and smiled his sleazy smile at Joanna, who cringed, "Remember what we talked about, darling. See you two around."

Jo watched him leave and felt like she needed to take a shower from the amount of disgust that she felt from being around that man. Punk looked at her worry etched across his face. She sighed and looked at her father with confidence.

"I'm fine, don't worry," Joanna said as she picked up the remote to switch the channel from Raw to Jimmy Kimmel to watch while she waited for Punk before heading back to the hotel for the evening.

"Yea, you told me the same thing when I brought AJ back to Chicago with us," Punk stated sarcastically, "I know something happened with Heyman, what was it?"

"It was nothing. He…" she trailed off looking at Punk and the WWE Championship that was lying across the couch. She wasn't his weakness; she was one of his strengths. One of his greatest accomplishments, but what if she did prove to be his kryptonite like Heyman said? What if he lost the title because of her? It would be her fault and it would be difficult to even face him.

She looked up into those pale green eyes knowing that she could do no wrong in his eyes. He had adopted her after all. He was her father and she loved him. He loved her and there was no getting around it, she was not a weakness, she was his greatest accomplishment. Joanna shook her head and smiled gently at Punk as her hand grazed against the WWE Championship vowing she wouldn't tell him about what had just transpired.

"He just wanted to watch the match with me like he said," Joanna said with a shrug of her shoulders. Punk looked at the girl skeptically knowing full well that she was lying. Something had transpired that she didn't want him to know about. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair looking down at the girl. "You know I can read your poker face pretty well these days, just know if you want to talk about it I'm here and don't plan on going anywhere."

Punk reached over and grabbed the girl pulling her into a hug.

"Punkers, you're smelly! Don't hug me now!" screeched Jo as Punk jumped up running towards the bathroom and locking the door, "This was a new top too, you asshole!"

Punk smiled as he leaned against the bathroom door listening to the young woman mutter obscenities about his 'disgusting sweaty body touching her.' He looked over at a photo leaning up against the bathroom mirror that always traveled with them. It was a picture of Punk holding Jo up piggy back style out in the main streets of Chicago. It was a fond memory, that day.

As the WWE Champion examined the photo he could only hope that whatever happened between Joanna and Heyman would not go to extreme. And if Heyman did anything to his baby girl, god, he was a dead man. He hoped that she wouldn't hide her secrets from him; he thought they had gotten over that berg of their relationship a long time ago.

But he could be as thick headed as her, sometimes neither of them could win with the other. This family was a walking disaster, but that's what life in the WWE was. They were still a family and always would be or at least that's what he was hoping for anyway.

Paul Heyman, on the other hand, seemed to have other plans for the WWE Champion and his family and they were certainly not going to be good for anyone.

(XXXX)

***glares at Rupert the plotbunny* Why? Why did you have to strike with inspiration during Finals week?! I should take your carrot sticks away or something… oh well you people got a chapter out of this so enjoy it while you can… Rupert has other plans to this week. He is starting to whisper about Listen to Her Voice again and maybe even Black Magic… Man, it's going to be long week with this stupid bunny munching at my ear…**

**Anyways, let's do some other things than ranting at the bunny…**

**Shout outs go to:**

**Story alert/ (Followers): LeahMarie, RandyOrtonxWifexx, Sonib89, Vixen with a Shotgun, cenafan131313**

**Favorites: Bubbly, LeahMarie, Sonib89, Vixen with a Shotgun**

**Reviews: Sonib89, cheryl24, ChicagoChaingang, MiniPunkette531, LeahMarie**

**So until next time figure out where on earth the last nine months went (I'm working on that seeing as I just finished my sophomore year of college, holy crap!), study for your finals, and write something!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	3. Better Days

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

Better Days

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

Heyman defiantly had an out for me ever since he showed up here; it was ridiculous how much the man hated me. It showed he only thought that there was one good thing in the world, and that was conflict. Well, the promoter got his stupid conflict; hell he got a whole freaking war out of it.

I looked into the mirror as I pulled on my ring gear for that evening. It was astounding what the design department had done for me. I had on a bedazzled sports bra that was a light shade of blue and dark purple accenting certain features of the gear. The same pattern was pressed across my pants, but on one side was written Warrior and the other Angel in fancy script. As I sat down on the bench and began to lace my boots there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I said not hesitating without a second thought. If Randy or Sheamus were here right now they would have slapped me upside the head. But you know what, if it was the Shield they would have come barraging in here and not given a care in the world leaving destruction in their wake as usual. When I looked up to see who stood at the door, it shocked me totally and completely. The smile plastered on his face gave way to the sadness you could see in his eyes. There were tears nearly in them as he dropped his bag and walked forward quickly pulling me into a tight bear hug.

Colt Cabana had never looked as sad in the last two years I had known him as he looked at this very moment.

"Jo," he whispered as he pulled me back to look at me. My black hair was curled and much overdue for a trim since it was down to my shoulders. My eyes probably showed as much sadness as his did, if not more. I hadn't put on my makeup yet and Colt could see the bags under my eyes from my lack of sleep. I was CM Punk's daughter, being nocturnal with so much on my mind. "Killer, you look like you've been through hell and back."

"No shit," I huffed at him as I nuzzled deeper into his arms, "At least this horror story will hopefully end soon, maybe even tonight."

Colt smiled weakly at me, "I miss you, kid. The apartment is so quiet without you. Plus Heyman snores."

I frowned at Colt and then looked at him, "Heyman lives there now?"

"Punk let him move in. The dude mooches off everything now. I won't let him take your room though, that asshole won't receive that pleasure ever… not while I'm around…" Colt said as he looked down at me, "You kick some ass tonight, you hear me? I want one hell of a show out of you."

"Yes, sir," I smiled as he kissed my cheek and wished me good luck telling me that he'd be watching me from the crowd. All I could do was wonder how we had got to this point, we used to be a family. I looked down at my neck seeing that piece of jewelry burning a red mark against my chest. Colt saw and smiled at me weakly.

"He's still in there Jo," Colt said as he patted my shoulder, "You just need to find him."

"I will Colt, I will," I reply as I run my hand through my hair, "How did things even get like this? They used to be so, so perfect."

Colt looked at me glumly, "I don't know, Jo. That one I don't have an answer too."

As Colt left, I looked down at the necklace once more, shaking my head remembering the night that I had received the gift from my family. Back then, things were better before everything went to hell. Sometimes I just wish I could live in those days, but this storm had been brewing since then and I needed to face it head on. Protect and save the ones that they love in order to maintain happiness in both their family and world. That's what warriors did, right?

(XXXX)

_December 2012 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

"COLT, WHERE ARE THE DECORATIONS FOR THE CHRISTMAS TREE?!" Joanna yelled as she dug around in the closest looking for something to put on the tree. It had already become that time of the year again, where there seemed to be peace on earth and nothing could ever be wrong. Well other than the fact that Jo couldn't find the Christmas ornaments to decorate the tree.

"Next to the Hanukah stuff!" shouted Colt from the kitchen as he tasted what he was cooking muttering something to himself about adding more spices to his concoction. "Dude, are you going to help us or are you just going sit there and watch the football game? Zack, Randy and his family will be here in less than three hours and we have nothing done!"

CM Punk sat on the couch relaxing. Sure, it hadn't been his idea to have all of his immediate WWE family come over to celebrate Christmas, but Jo had volunteered them to be the hosts. Punk loved his daughter dearly, but she could be an absolute moron... sometimes.

"I am helping," Punk mouthed off to Colt, "I'm helping by paying attention to the television and watching the game to update you and Jo about it. That's my form of helping."

Before more could be said, a box was plopped into the WWE Champion's lap. Punk glanced over the box and Jo smirked at him while motioning to the tree while she went and took care of finishing helping Colt cook the meal for their Christmas guests.

"He really is a dumb ass sometimes isn't he?" questioned Joanna as she started to mix together ingredients in a bowl for dessert for their guests as she watched Colt work on making portions of the meal. It smelled delicious and she was tempted to snatch a piece of whatever he was making because it smelled so good.

"Yea, he is, but we still love him," smiled Colt as he popped open the oven and threw some food into it to cook for a while. Colt smirked and looked over at the young woman smiling at her, "Do you remember last Christmas?"

Jo look confused for a second before responding to him. She didn't remember celebrating with the boys last year, but she knew she had arrived around the holiday seasons because they had taken her Christmas shopping. Then she remembered that they hadn't just celebrated Christmas, they had celebrated Kwanza and Hanukah (since Colt was Jewish).

"I remember," Jo replied, "You guys were such dorks about it. And I remember going Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve, oh my God, never again!"

Colt shook his head and smiled at her. It certainly had been a great year for all of them. Colt's comedy business was starting to pick up, Punk was WWE Champion, and they had a beautiful girl who they had happily adopted and every day she made the two of them more proud.

"Colt?" questioned Jo as he looked up at her after shaking off his nostalgia.

"Hmmm?" he questioned as Jo looked at him a bit concerned.

"The food you put into the oven is on fire!" shouted Jo as Colt snapped out of his daze and ran to the stove to fetch his beloved food from turning into charcoal. With several yelps and a few charred delicacies later did Punk call his brother in arms and daughter into the living room to examine his fine handy work of decorating the small space in the Chicago apartment.

"Alright guys," shouted Punk from the living room, "You can come in now, but no peeking I want those eyes closed until I turn on the lights."

Jo sighed, "Do we have to please him?"

Colt nodded as he watched Jo close her eyes and walk into the living room. He followed closely behind her and shut his eyes too so his best friend wouldn't yell at him. Punk smirked at the two of them and flicked the switch to power up the lights.

"You can open them up now," Punk said with a smile on his face. Jo's eyes fluttered open to see the tree in the corner light up in a swirl of colors as the lights flickered on. The star atop it was a beautiful angel that glowed with radiating color. The windows and doorway that led to the balcony of the apartment showed how beautiful the sunset was against the Chicago skyline. There were lights out there as well with beautiful colors glorifying it. Jo looked around the room to see that there were Christmas lights all around the living room along with ones that covered the mantel of the fireplace. It was absolutely stunning what Punk had done to the room in a few short hours and it was transformed before Jo and Colt's very eyes.

"So what do you guys think?" questioned Punk flopping down onto the couch to relax from all his hard work. The two blinked at each other than blinked at the WWE Champion not able to form a coherent sentence. "Wow, guys I didn't think it was that bad."

Jo was the first one to finally regain her voice, "Punk, it's beautiful, it's absolutely astounding."

"Really?" asked the Champion as his daughter nodded down at him.

"Yea, I haven't seen anything like this ever, it's just…" she trailed off looking over Colt for a little help with her words. But it seemed that the infamous Colt Cabana was in the same boat as the little Rebel Angel. Punk smiled seeing two of the most loved people in his life unable to speak to him about his amazing decorating skills.

"Good, I'm glad you both like it. It just shows that I wasn't slacking off like you two thought I was." Punk said with a smile as Jo rolled her eyes and walked back into the kitchen to finish cooking, but before that came something from Colt with his say in the matter.

"C.M. Punk, Interior Decorator, when do you think we should make the business cards, Jo?" Colt asked but before more could be said Punk launched himself at his friend tackling him to the ground getting into a pseudo wrestling match. Jo shook her head and just threw up her hands in frustration.

"Ugh, men, can't live without them, can't let them decorate without attacking each other."

(XXXX)

"Joanna, dear, you make the most wonderful pie. I hope you know that, no wonder these boys don't ever want to lose you." Randy's wife, Sam said to Joanna as the two women cleaned up the dining room after Christmas dinner.

"They couldn't survive without me," Jo joked to Sam as she finished putting dishes in the dishwasher, "How have you been Sam? I haven't talked to you in ages."

Sam smiled at Joanna reassuringly.

"Randal needs to bring you to St. Louis more, that way you don't have to be around so much testosterone. And then he won't complain about you not being around to train like he is right now while the WWE is on break. You certainly do bring him pride, with you being his protégé and all."

Jo laughed and shook her head, "Yea, I'm his and Punk's protégé. Those two are ridiculous, I think my bruises have bruises from what they been putting me through lately."

Sam nodded sentimentally before a pair of bare feet came running into the kitchen.

"Auntie Jo!" shrieked Alana, Randy's daughter, latching herself on to the girl's legs.

"What's wrong munchkin?" questioned Jo as she hefted the girl up into her arms.

"Daddy and Uncle Punk are telling the story wrong. I want you to tell it. You always get it right." Alana explained a bit upset about the way the story had been told, "They forgot an entire part about the Rebel Angel seeking help from the Chicago Made man, The Viper, and The Broski to get her home and away from the evil Code Breaker and Goat Man."

"Shhh… shhh… it's alright, if your Mom says it's okay I'll go finish the story with you," Jo said smiling down at the little girl as Sam smiled back and nodded her head. As they headed to Jo's room where Alana would be staying, Jo set her down and tucked the child back into bed. "Now, where did your Daddy and Uncle Punk leave off?"

Alana snuggled closer into the blankets on the bed pulling them up to her chin, "When the Code Breaker tells the Rebel Angel she doesn't belong in the castle…"

"Alright," Jo said remembering the story that was how she became a part of this family, "The Rebel Angel listened to the Code Breaker as he told her that the Chicago Made man had lied to her about her being a part of his family. The Rebel Angel sadly believed the Code Breaker and ran away from the castle to the nearby forest hoping that no one would come looking for her.

"When the Chicago Made man found out that his beloved Rebel Angel had run off, he wanted to run after her, but he couldn't. The Code Breaker had sealed the gates to the castle so no one could get in or out without his permission. The Chicago Made man was so angry with the Code Breaker, that he challenged him to a duel.

"The Chicago Made man and the Code Breaker fought for hours until the Rebel Angel appeared. She distracted the Code Breaker and quickly helped the Chicago Made man win the duel. The residents of the palace cheered and carried on for days about the duel.

"Eventually, the Chicago Made man asked the Rebel Angel to join his family instead of her going out on her own traveling the world. The Rebel Angel said yes and ever since that day all of them lived happily ever after."

Jo glanced down at the bed to find Alana fast asleep. She smiled and walked over to the door flicking off the light, shutting the door quietly behind her so nothing would wake the slumbering girl. Joanna walked back into the living room to find everyone positioned comfortably watching the fireplace flicker as it snowed outside creating a beautiful Christmas landscape.

The young woman found a spot between Colt and Punk on the couch. As she took her seat did Sam look up from her spot next to Randy and smiled at the young woman.

"Did Alana go down alright?" she questioned.

Jo chuckled, "She was out even before I finished telling her the story. Silly girl has heard it so many times, it's ridiculous."

"She just likes hearing it, that's all. Plus she doesn't know it's about you and the WWE. She'll figure it out when she's older and we let her read your book." Randy said as he draped his arm around his wife, "When that happens we're sending her to you, Joanna and you can explain everything."

Jo nodded at the couple as she leaned her head against Punk's shoulder while trying to stifle a yawn.

"Looks like somebody else is tired too," Punk said looking down at his own daughter as Joanna tried to stifle another yawn. Jo sadly nodded as she got up from her spot looking at the Chicago night skyline watching as the snow fell on the ground outside. As she began her walk back to her bedroom, did Colt and Punk call after her.

"Jo, could you come back here? We want you to open a Christmas present before tomorrow." She heard Colt say as she stalked tiredly back to the living room where Punk was holding a golden box with a purple bow it. Jo picked it up from Punk's hands and examined it. On the tag, in elegant script it read "To Joanna From: Punk, Colt, and Zack Merry Christmas to a Wonderful Daughter and Sister."

"Guys, you didn't have to do this," Jo began but was cut off as the group motioned to her to open the box. As the young woman opened the box, she found a beautiful heart shaped pendant locket in it. It was golden with a gold chain that was low hanging. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry Jo had seen in a long time. Tears pricked at her eyes as she looked at her family pulling both Colt and Punk into a bear hug. She loved this gift. As soon as she let them go did Punk motion for her to open the locket to show the beauty that was inside it.

Jo popped open the locket to find a picture from last WrestleMania of her, Colt, Zack, and Punk inside. It was beautiful. On the opposite side the following words were etched in another font, I feel something so right; Doing the wrong thing; I feel something so wrong; Doing the right thing.

"Thank you all, I love it," Jo whispered as she motioned for Punk to help her put it on. As Punk finished latching the necklace did Jo turn around to face him, she was an angel. Her black hair falling in the right place, her light blue gray stripped sweater paired with a black belt, jeans, and a pair of flats helped her beam confidence. The center piece of the outfit was the locket that hung right around her chest area. She was stunning, she was his daughter.

"Merry Christmas, Jo," Punk said quietly as he held her in his arms looking out at the Chicago skyline watching the snow fall. Jo tilted her head up at Punk.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Daddy, Merry Christmas to you too."

(XXXX)

**For those of you who are new readers, the part about last Christmas comes from the first story, which is The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Rebel Girl. The story that Jo tells Alana is the plotline of Rebel Girl. The picture that Jo finds in the locket actually was taken in Rebel Girl too. So if you're wondering where all that those little tidbits came from then go check out Rebel Girl, I mean if you like this story, you'll probably love that one.**

**Sheesh, Rupert… you really wanted to build on from the last story didn't you? Okay, okay, I get it, but you and both know this is the calm before the storm. From here on out there's going to be a whole lot drama, fighting, and conflict… Oh boy, will Jo be able to handle it?**

**Anyways, let's do some shout-outs!**

**Shout-outs go to:**

**Story alert: Divaprincess95, , xoxounicornxoxo, BlackHamster96**

**Favorite Story: BlackHamster96**

**Reviews: IxHearxVoicesx531 and Sonib89**

**So until next time, go to Yankee Candle to buy some candles for your new apartment, have the opportunity to shadow at your dream job, and try to stuff as much stuff as you can in your car while moving houses… I'm working on that one… I'll let you know how that one goes…**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	4. Fix a Heart

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

Fix a Heart

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

"Jo, honey, can I come in?" a voice called as I looked up from where I sat on the couch next to Colt, who, at my insistence, had decided to stay in my locker room with me. It kept both my nerves along with his calm before my big match on the Grandest Stage of Them All.

"Yay, come on in, Mike," I said as a smiled appeared across my face when he walked into the room. Mike's eyes light up as he saw me smiling at him. He was holding something behind his back. I looked at him mischievously as he pulled about a dozen white roses from behind him and handing them to me.

"For my angel, as a good luck present," Mike reasoned as he turned bright red seeing Colt sitting on the couch, "Uhhh… you didn't say that Colt was going to come tonight… I thought you were going to give me a head's up when you had the go ahead to tell your family about us."

I hugged Mike and thanked him for the flowers as I yelled at one of the employees to fetch a vase with water in since my adoring boyfriend had brought me flowers. I motioned for Mike to sit down so I could explain this to him and Colt too, who was very much confused at the confrontation I just had. I don't think he had expected me to get a boyfriend anytime soon, but hey when a guy saves you from yourself along with The Shield and makes you feel loved even though you hate yourself, I think that justifies boyfriend material. And he felt the same way about me now, that I couldn't believe.

"Well, Colt actually figured it out his own," I chuckled, "When did you figure it out anyway?"

Colt smiled at me and patted my knee as I sat down next to him, "Would you believe Randy called me? He wanted me to make some threats to scare off your boy here."

"Orton," growled Mike as I shot him a glare while rolling my eyes and shaking my head at him.

"It's fine, Randy has been trying to fill in for…" I trailed off as I looked off into the distance refusing to say his name; it brought me too much heartache as I shook my head.

"Jo?" they both questioned at the same time while watching me. They knew I was upset and flustered. I was just making this harder on myself than it should have been. I took a deep breath as I saw my reflection in both their eyes. I looked like a walking disaster. Why was I even doing this to myself?

"So how did you two kids meet anyway? I could use a good story." Colt said while smiling at me. I frowned remembering one of my first run-ins with Mike as he began to recount it to Colt. It wasn't the fairytale setting that every girl wanted, but hey it was good enough for me.

(XXXX)

_Early January 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

"OUCH!" shouted an irate CM Punk as Joanna stood next to him taking care of his injuries after his encounter with Cena and Ryback hadn't gone as smoothly as he had wanted it to.

"Hold still, it's only going to hurt the more you move. What on earth possessed you to challenge Ryback to a match against you with Cena in his corner is beyond me? Did Heyman convince you of that?" Jo questioned annoyed as Punk refused to look into her eyes, "He didn't, didn't he? Ugh, Punk, you have to think before you act!"

Punk jumped off the container he had been sitting on and growled something Jo didn't understand then stalked off to the medics leaving her standing there holding the bandages and bloody clothes in her hands.

She sighed frustrated and shaking her head. In the last month, things in the WWE had gone from bad to worse. Punk had been taking advance from Paul Heyman about his career and everything going on with it. Jo knew when someone was being a friend, and that was certainly not Heyman… he was a manipulator. He had convinced Punk to align himself with a group called The Shield. They were a bunch of wrestlers who believed in change and that the little guys should have a chance to get to the top. Punk had warned Jo countless times that while they were here, she was not allowed to come down to the ring. So now Joanna was stuck in the back during the shows not getting a close up of the action.

Punk had begun to feud with Ryback now since John Cena could no longer feud with him, but that didn't mean Cena couldn't help the young, upcoming star. The task of dethroning the WWE Champion was daunting now that Punk had The Shield in his back pocket. Jo only hoped he lost that stupid championship and soon because with it he was becoming more and more moronic.

"Hey Little Mama," a voice said breaking Joanna from her thoughts as she turned to find Ryback standing next to her. Jo smiled at the man. Even though he portrayed someone crazy on television and Punk currently wasn't his biggest fan, Jo still got along with him. He was a real sweetheart and would do anything for her.

"Hey Skip," Joanna said cracking a smile as the wrestler rolled his eyes at the young woman, he wouldn't let just anyone use his old ring name in public, but she was different. "Good match out there by the way. Punk's not happy with you in the least bit or Cena for that matter."

Ryback sighed as he looked at Jo shaking his head, "I don't know what's gotten into Punk lately, but I'm starting to worry. He hasn't been acting like himself at all. John even said that he hasn't seen him act like this since his mean streak back when he was in the Straight Edge Society."

Jo grimly looked at her friend, "I know. It's really starting to worry me. I don't know if it's because he has had the title so long or because of Heyman…"

"Just be safe, and that's a direct order little Mama. With The Shield running around everyone's a bit on edge." He said giving Jo a ginger kiss on the cheek before saying his good-byes to the Rebel Angel and heading towards his locker room for the evening to clean up.

Jo sighed again figuring that she should probably go find Punk and apologize for mouthing off about Heyman. Punk knew she didn't like him, but it was his career and not hers to run. She looked to see that most of the backstage crew and wrestlers had cleared out from behind the curtained area leaving her with nothing, but empty crates lingering in the area for the clean-up team to tuck away onto moving trucks to move to the next city.

She began to gather her things and try to figure out where Punk had headed off to after his stop at the medic, but she figured her best bet was his locker room. She hadn't yet left the area when Paul Heyman popped up out of nowhere scarring the wits out of the poor girl.

"Hello Joanna," the sleazy manager purred as Jo rolled her eyes continuing to pick up her stuff and pack it into her bag completely ignoring the man.

"Come now, Joanna, don't you see I want to talk?" questioned Heyman with a smirk at her. Jo rolled her eyes at the former proprietor of ECW.

"I'm not really in the mood to talk to you, Paul. I have somewhere I need to be." Jo said as she hefted her bag onto her shoulder turning to walk away from the man, "Maybe another time…"

As Jo turned to walk out of the gorilla she walked into a wall. A very masculine and buff wall that is, Jo didn't want to look up from what she had just walked into. She knew she had to. It was a basic of principal, Punk had taught her not to be scared of anyone in this business… but this person scared her to her inner core.

She raised her head to be met with a grimace from the one and only Brock Lesnar looking down at her. Jo audibly gulped as she backed into a wall as Lesnar and Heyman surrounded her.

"Joanna, I'd like to introduce you to my newest client, Brock, Joanna, Joanna, Brock. Now that introductions are over why don't we get to the business portion of this meeting?" Heyman smiled sickly as Joanna glared at the man. Jo's glare seized once Brock let out a growl.

"What do you want?" she ground out through her teeth as she clenched her fists angrily. Heyman smirked knowing he had her exactly where he wanted her.

"You know what I want from you, cooperation. No more of this crap of you trying to convince the champion that I'm making the wrong moves with his career. I'm the not the one doing that. You still being here is holding him back. But he doesn't believe me, so that has forced my hand with more extreme measures." Heyman explained to Jo as she ground her teeth together.

"Yea, like you can do anything to me. I'm not scared of you, Heyman. I know that you're nothing, but a dirty little man paying off people to do your dirty work for you and your clients." Jo spat out angrily. Again Heyman smirked at her knowing full well that he had expected her to say that exact phrase.

"You see, Joanna. That's where my friend, Brock here comes in, Lesnar if you would." Heyman said snapping his fingers as Jo backed further into the wall. She growled fiercely at Lesnar, trying to evade the MMA fighter, but failing as he grabbed her waist and pushed her up against the wall. Moving his hands up her outfit and using one hand to clutch her neck as she struggled against the wall. Lesnar had grabbed her tightly causing a lack of oxygen to go to her brain thus causing Jo's vision to begin to fade.

"Now listen good and well, you little annoyance, I'm only going to explain this once to you. I own Punk which means I own you. Now, if I catch you acting out of line while we're doing segments or you're screwing with his matches. I will end you. Punk can go on without you. He did it before and he certainly can do it again. Are we clear?"

Jo tried to form a coherent sentence, but she was severely weak and about ready to pass out. Jo thought it was almost over when a voice broke through her clouded mind and Heyman's threats.

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!" yelled a male voice that Jo didn't recognize. She was unsure of whom it was, but whoever it was she was thankful for the distraction.

"Drop her, Lesnar. We need to get out of here, NOW!" Heyman cried as Lesnar removed his hands from around Jo's neck causing her to the ground in a pile, but before they went there was one more thing Heyman felt the need to add, "If you tell anyone about this, I'll have The Shield personally see to ending you instead of Brock. Oh and Joanna, remember what we talked about."

With that Jo heard the running of footsteps as they ran off from the scene of the crime.

"Joanna, honey, can you hear me?" questioned a voice that she recognized as one of the certified medics on staff. Jo let a groan as she began to wearily open her eyes. Jo looked at the man as she gingerly lifted her head.

"Give her a minute, doc, I think she needs it," said the voice that Jo recognized from earlier, "How about I bring her to you after she regains some consciousness and comprehend some things?"

The doctor sighed and reluctantly nodded his head, "Fine, but you bring her straight to me."

"I will, doc," said the voice as Jo listened to the doctor walk off. She thought her troubles were gone, but then someone sat down beside her. Jo opened her eyes letting the tears begin to pour out of them and flow down her face.

"Shh… it'll be alright Joanna," reasoned the voice as Jo leaned into the man's chest for comfort as he gently stroked her hair. When Jo finally felt like she was able to complete a sentence again she looked up to see who had been comforting her after her bout.

"Mike?" Jo questioned as she looked at the reality show character turned television wrestler personality in complete shock that he was the one that had found her in this predicament.

Mike Mizanin smiled down at the beautiful girl that was known as The Rebel Angel. He had been passing through the gorilla headed to his car when he had seen a young woman being held by the neck, lifted off the ground, and struggling to breathe. Two unknown individuals were uttering threats to the girl, before long Mike had recognized the girl as CM Punk's adopted daughter, Joanna. Mike had met the girl a few times and she had seemed so full of life. The girl he held in his arms was mostly defiantly the exact opposite. She was frightened, scared, and severely hurting after the attack.

"Yea, it's me. Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do I need to call the doc back?" Mike asked as Jo shook her head immediately at him.

"I'm… I'm fine…" she stammered refusing to look Mike in the eye. He eyed her suspiciously.

"You're not fine. You just got assaulted and judging by the size of bruises on your neck, that are starting to develop, I'd say I'd know who too." Mike muttered as he shook his head not surprised that Lesnar had taken his role of playing bad guy onto innocent young women now.

Jo shot the man with a look as a worried expression crossed her face, "Mike, you can't tell anyone about this. If you do, it will put me in more jeopardy than I already was. You have to promise me, you won't tell anyone!"

Mike looked at the girl in his arms, she was something else. He had watched her from afar and now here she was balling her eyes out after an attack. He couldn't just let the girl hide this from the world, that was wrong and what if Lesnar hurt more innocent people like Joanna?

"MIKE, PROMISE ME!" shouted Joanna snapping him out of his thoughts as he again looked at Jo.

"I promise I won't tell anyone," Mike said clearly unhappy about it, "Now, if I'm going to keep quiet, you're going to tell me what the hell you did to piss Lesnar off."

Joanna sighed as she shook her head in frustration. This guy wouldn't just take silence as the answer especially not for this. She let out a huff as she muttered something under her breath and looked him in his eyes.

Those eyes, the light blue orbs. They were beautiful with warm and caring emotion etched into them. She could see her reflection in them. She looked horrible. Her jeans were tattered and shirt torn. Her hair was messed up and like Mike had said there were bruises starting to form along her neck from where Brock had griped her. Although, she looked like this, Mike was still there holding and caressing her, wanting to help.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but you can't tell anyone else." Jo explained as she looked at the ground.

"Alright, that's fine by me. Now explain." Mike prodded as Jo looked off into the distance.

"It's a long story." Jo answered attempting to avoid the discussion yet again.

"We have all night, Joanna. I'm waiting." He answered as she began to reliant the story to him about the last several vicious months of her life.

(XXXX)

"So all that really happened?" asked Mike as they walked through the hotel. He was taking her back to her room to grab her stuff and bunk in his room for the evening. Jo hadn't wanted to see Punk after her accident and Mike didn't blame her at all. She needed comfort right now and he understood that meant that she was his to protect right now.

"Yea," Jo muttered as she used the key card to get into the room. She looked around to see that Punk wasn't here and sighed with relief. He had probably gone to the vending machine to get a Pepsi or something. Jo had told him not to wait for her at the arena because she was going to have a Girl's Night with Natalya, but that was a lie. Nattie said she would cover for Jo as long as she could before Punk figured out she wasn't with her. Jo grabbed her suitcase from the room and rolled it out of the room as she closed the door behind her. "Not really the fairy tale you were expecting were you?"

Mike shrugged at her, "We all have our demons. Yours just have been coming out a lot more lately. If you don't mind me asking why aren't you staying with Zack or Randy tonight?"

Jo looked at the ground sadly at the mention of the two men, "Randy is out on tour with Smackdown this week, he'll be back next week so if things don't improve by then I'll go stay with him."

Her companion nodded his head, "But where's Ryder? Isn't he like your brother or something?"

She turned and looked darkly at Mike, who was shocked to see such anger in her beautiful features, "You've been gone a long time, Miz. You haven't seen the destruction that The Shield has done to this place. It's war. You're either with them or against them.

"Zack asked me to escort him to the ring one night because he saw how much I missed it. I was thrilled and accepted immediately. He was wrestling Darren Young, so not much could go wrong, right? While he won the match, but when he did The Shield descended on the ring. Zack shoved me behind him and he told me no matter what to not do anything accept protect myself from them.

"That night everything changed. Zack was beaten within an inch of his life protecting me. If I hadn't been so stupid and gone to the ring this never would have happened! And WWE wouldn't have told him to get lost and take his talents elsewhere. It's my fault he's fired, Mike!"

Mike opened his arms to the sobbing girl a second time that night to comfort her. He let her sob softly as he hugged her tightly letting her get out her pent up frustrations. He hadn't realized that she had lost so much over the last few months. It really was incredible what he had missed while he was on vacation from the WWE Universe.

"Joanna," he said lifting her chin up with his index finger causing her to look up at him, "You are an amazing young woman and Zack didn't lose his job. His job is being your big brother and he was doing this by protecting you from The Shield. None of this is your fault. Don't you ever blame yourself for this because sometimes things in the WWE Universe can get so fucked up that you feel like the blame falls on you, but it's not. You're too incredible and people just want to ruin that beautiful spark that can be seen in your eyes."

Jo blinked at Mike several times before realizing that what he had said to her was true. It wasn't her fault. None of this was. She just needed someone to make her realize that and Mike had.

"Thanks," she whispered as they began to walk back to his hotel room. As soon as they got there and entered the room, Jo grabbed her sweatpants and a baggy sweatshirt along with her bathroom items telling Mike she was going to take a shower. Mike nodded as he watched television aimlessly.

He listened to her sing in the bathroom for a few minutes before looking over at the nightstand where she had set her stuff. On it sat a beautiful necklace, Mike walked over and picked it up realizing it was a locket that had been handcrafted. He popped open the piece of jewelry seeing the picture of Jo and her Rebel family inside along with an inscription written on the other side.

As Mike looked down at the necklace, he shook his head, "I hope you get your act together soon, Punk. If you don't you're going to break that girl's heart. You're her father, so I hope to god, you do because she deserves the entire universe not this crap."

With that Mike closed the locket and sat if back on the nightstand. He didn't know what it was with this girl, but he was feeling something that he hadn't felt in a long time. It scared him, but Mike planned on giving Joanna the universe to make her happy. It was about time somebody did.

(XXXX)

**I don't know how to feel about this chapter. Rupert doesn't either, but he wanted to have the introduction of Jo's love interest in this chapter. Yea, I know, I know, but hey this story is about the development of Jo as an individual more than about building strong ties with a family unit. Oh my god, I really spent too much time reading my sociology textbook last semester if I'm applying it to my characters.**

**Anyways, let's do some shout-outs!**

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**Reviews: WhiteAsukalover (missed you buddy and good to hear from you! :)), cheryl24 (oh trust me, I'm very particular about what type of candles I buy—my favorite one is vanilla cupcake, it smells like heaven, but there are other ones that make me want to puke), and Sonib89 (I don't know… Colt really is too nice when it comes to that living situation)**

**So until next time, read a good book (I'm currently reading 'Who Done It? An Anthology' by Jon Sciezka), go grocery shopping, and enjoy your Memorial Day!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	5. Nothing Left To Say

The Miscellaneous Adventures a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

Nothing Left To Say

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

"BROCK DID WHAT?" screeched Colt as Mike told him about our first night together. I sat in the bathroom finishing applying my make-up for the evening as I listened to the story of how The Miz had saved the Rebel Angel from Brock Lesnar and Paul Heyman. I rarely thought about that night because in true honesty it scared me. What if Mike hadn't come? What would Lesnar and Heyman have done to me? Would I still be here?

I shook my head. I couldn't be thinking about things like this, not right now. I had to get my head in the game if the Celtic Warrior Viper was going to win in tonight's match up against The Shield. Randy would probably come crashing in here any second to go over a game plan along with strategies for tonight.

I looked at myself in the mirror. The bags under my eyes could be seen even under the layer of makeup I had put on to cover them up. They also showed the pain, hurt, and every other emotion that I had been through in last several months. It was all a build-up tonight. The heart ache and the loss, it would all be worth it eventually, right?

"I know that look," a quiet voice said as I jumped a foot in the air causing me to smear the lipstick I was putting on my face off to the side. I turned to see Randy leaning against the door frame watching me. He was earlier than I would have expected for the game plan preparation. I grabbed a tissue and began to dab at the smear of crimson across my cheek.

"You're worried for tonight, aren't you?" questioned the Viper as I looked down at the sink I was standing in front of, "You know, I was once in a position where you stood. It was a long time ago, but it was still the same situation. And you know what? I didn't do the right thing and it destroyed me for years. I think that training you showed the world that I wasn't that horrible guy anymore. Joanna, you're not doing the wrong thing. You're doing the only thing that you know in your heart is the way to get him back."

I threw the tissue down as I turned to look at Randy, tears ready to fall from my eyes. I knew all of this. I'd known it for along freaking time, but the question was not if I could do it. I knew I could, given the situations that we were all in. Randy picked the tissue back and cleaned off the lipstick so no one could see it anymore.

"But the question isn't if I can get him back, Randy. It's if he wants to come back," I said as my voice cracked while walking away from the former World Heavyweight Champion.

"He'll come back, Joanna. You're his daughter." Randy whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

(XXXX)

_Late January 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

If it wasn't one thing for the WWE's resident Rebel Angel, it was another. It hadn't even been two weeks since the attack from Heyman and Joanna hadn't been acting her normal self around anyone except The Miz. Randy had been watching her for quite some time now backstage as she chatted with The Awesome over an extra cheese and pepperoni pizza in catering.

Her training sessions had been off ever since that night of Punk's match with Ryback on Monday Night Raw. That's when all this hanging out with Miz had begun. Not that Randy did not approve of the younger wrestler for the young woman, at first he had assumed it was a comfort for her since Ryder had been fired from the WWE recently. As time wore on though, Randy noticed that was not the only reason she seemed to be hanging around The Awesome One.

It seemed that Heyman had granted her permission to begin to go out to the ring with Punk again, but when she was out there she was not the witty, intelligent girl that the fans adored. No, she seemed to just stand there, not cheering or screaming. Her lips just zipped shut as she tried to stand as far away from Heyman as possible.

Something smelled rotten in the WWE and Randy Orton was going to find out exactly what.

That night as Randy laced up his boots in the locker room he noticed Joanna staring at the wall. She had been joining him in his locker room a lot lately. He hadn't questioned it, not yet anyway, but as Joanna stared at the blank wall that lay before her, he felt compelled to say something.

"Angel," he said giving the young woman a nudge attempting to get her attention. Sadly, Joanna continued to stare at the wall with an upset look on her face.

"Joanna," Randy said playfully nudging her in the rib cage finally getting her attention as she turned and looked at him, "What's going on kid? You haven't acted like this since Cena ate the last of your Double Fudge Brownie ice cream at Extreme Rules last year. That wasn't even that bad; John even bought you another container at the next pay per view."

Jo looked at him with a mournful expression, "I don't want to talk about it, Randy."

Randy looked at her and frowned. How was he going to get her to open up when she said that she didn't want to? He looked at her and smirked knowing full well what would make her to talk.

"You're Kiss of Death has been off lately, do you want me to tell you why?" asked the Viper as Jo blinked at him, sighed, and nodded reluctantly. "Whatever happened to you recently is affecting your judgment with everything else. Did Miz do something to you?"

"No, Mike didn't do anything," Jo stated shaking her head as Randy tilted his head to the side, "It's not like that, okay? It's about Punk."

Randy frowned, not expecting that answer to come from the Rebel Angel. She quickly clammed up and began starring at the wall again.

"Come on Angel, you can tell me," Randy insisted as Jo continued to stare at the wall blankly. He only hoped that when Alana got to this age that it wouldn't be so difficult to get her to open up about her problems. Randy could see whatever was going with Joanna had taken its toll on her. He didn't like seeing her like this and he remembered the threat that he had said to Punk after Joanna's first run in with Wade before he had known anything about the past. Randy looked down at the girl and tried again, "Hey, I'm here to help you, just let me in, Joanna. Nothing bad is going to happen." Randy said as Jo shook her head as she turned to face the Viper.

"What if something bad already did happen?" questioned the girl as her voice broke. Randy looked at her with fury in his eyes immediately realizing someone or something had hurt Jo and it had to do with the resident WWE Champion CM Punk.

"I'm still here to help you," Randy reassured her patting her leg, "I can't help you though if you don't tell me what's going on."

Jo sighed and looked at him, "You have to promise not to go crazy, okay?"

Randy nodded his head as Jo began to relay her story to the Legend Killer. As Jo told him about the night that Heyman and Lesnar had almost killed her, Mike finding her, and her fear to be around Punk ever since the incident of him going crazy on her after his match with Ryback. Randy felt sorry for the young woman that he was training; he ran a hand across his face in frustration, surprised that things had gotten so out of control. At least she was staying and spending time with Mike, which was her only saving grace. Randy knew that Mike would protect her from whatever Heyman would throw at her, but it was most likely that the young girl wouldn't be able to escape Heyman's clutches forever. And from the looks of it, Punk was warming more and more up to the ideas the former ECW General Manager was throwing out to him.

"Randy," Jo's voice asked quietly causing him to snap from his own thoughts, "Everything's going to be okay, right? Like eventually Punk will lose the title and come to his senses and he'll fire Heyman, right?"

The Viper looked sadly at his protégé, he could either tell her one of two things: that if Punk lost the championship, he would most likely go nuts and take down as many people as possible with him or he could lie his ass off and tell her everything was going to be okay. He didn't want to do either, but Jo took his silence as uncertainty to the situation.

"You don't know either, do you?" questioned Jo as she looked at The Viper.

"I don't have an honest answer for you, kid. I know this though, stay close to me and Mike until Punk comes to his senses. I don't want him hurting you because Heyman suggested it was a good idea." Randy explained as he patted her leg getting up and stretching getting ready for his match that evening.

A knock came at the door as the two turned to look at to see who was at the door, turning to see The Celtic Warrior standing there looking ready to go up against whoever his and Orton's opponents were for the evening.

"Randy, you ready fella? I'm goin' pummel some brugs tonight!" Sheamus said excitedly as he smiled thinking about giving someone a Brogue Kick. He noticed the young girl that was watching Randy stretch out, not recognizing her, "Randy, who is this beautiful lassie that you have brought here to grace us with her presence?"

For the first time that day, a smile crept on to Jo's face as a bright red blush stormed over her face.

"Sheamus, this is Joanna," Randy said as he continued stretching, "She's Punk's adopted daughter. I didn't know you two hadn't met yet."

"Yea, well now that you say that I do remember her calling me a giant jar of mayonnaise on National TV one night when I wasn't here to defend myself…" Sheamus said recalling the distant memory as Jo's eyes widened in worry for her safety as he just laughed it off, "Don't worry lassie, I'm not that scary jar of mayonnaise anymore. I'm more…"

"More social, caring, kindhearted, any word in the dictionary that doesn't mean crazy Irish Man," Randy suggested with a laugh as Sheamus rolled his eyes shaking with laughter in the process.

"Any of those will do fella," Sheamus said turning his attention back to Joanna as she blinked at the red head with curiosity in her eyes, "I hear through the grape vine that Orton here is training you lass that true?"

Joanna nodded at the man as she uttered her first sentence to the Celtic Warrior, "He is and if you say he isn't I have bruises that can debate with you otherwise."

Sheamus smiled and patted her on the shoulder, "Naw, lassie, I was going to ask when Orton here would let you in the ring with the big boys. You know the duo of the Celtic Viper could use a female member to our tag team. I was thinking like a vale or something, what do you think, Rand?"

Jo and Sheamus both turned to see Randy mulling over the idea of having Joanna join them. It did give him the chance to protect Joanna from Heyman and his so called "clients." Punk would probably kill him, but who cared Punk was slowly going off his rocker anyway. This would be a way to keep Joanna safe. Randy nodded at his tag team partner as he put out his hand for a high five from Jo. As the two exchanged high fives, the Viper turned to them both.

"You do this under one condition, Joanna." Randy stated stoically, "You listen to everything we say out there, no doing things your own way. If you're going to do this with us, we're going to do it as a team, okay?"

"Okay," Jo said while smiling as she put her hand down in the middle of the circle that the three had formed.

"Lassie, what are you doing?" questioned Sheamus while raising an eyebrow at his new friend.

"What all team's do before they go up against opponents? You know that whole put your hands in thing and then throw them up while making some important proclamation of speech?" Jo said as Sheamus and Randy exchanged a look of confusion.

"Awe what the hell," Randy said shrugging his shoulder and throwing his hand on top of Jo's, Sheamus then followed suit, "Let's go kick some ass! I want to see Team Rhode Scholars crawl out of the ring!"

Jo chuckled as she linked arms with the two wrestlers heading to the guerilla position just as their theme music hit, this was definitely making up for the hell that had come from the last few weeks. That hell though was going to come back with vengeance rather quickly.

(XXXX)

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" screeched the WWE Champion while looking at his daughter with great anger in his eyes. Jo stood before a fuming CM Punk looking at the floor as Punk gave her a long winded lecture about how she should have asked for permission to go to the ring. She should her known better. She shouldn't have been out there putting herself in jeopardy and thus somehow putting Punk in jeopardy as well… yea, Jo didn't follow that thought either and thus the following conversation had come about.

"I was fine, Punk. Randy and Sheamus were with me and Mike was watching me from the monitors at the curtain. It wasn't like I was in any danger. The Shield wasn't even in the arena so I don't see what the big deal is." Jo said nonchalantly (for now it seemed Punk had decided to ignore the comment about Mike) to the champion as Punk twirled on her and glared into her eyes.

"The big deal is you could have gotten hurt! All these people are after me and there after my title! What's the best way to get to me? Hmmm… let's think about this shall we Joanna, through you! If they get you, they know I will do anything to get you back." Punk ranted making exaggerated hand motions to go along with his speech.

"No one is to be trusted," Punk stated looking down at his title, "They all want this, but it's mine. Everyone in this locker room has a reason to come against me and you as well. I hate to do this, but I am forbidding you to see any of them."

Jo shot up faster than a bullet standing toe to toe with Punk as the two warred silently. As the door creaked open neither broke their stare.

"Hey guys, can I-"

"NOT NOW HEYMAN!" screamed the father daughter duo as the sleazy manager retreated from the locker room before more could be said to him.

"You can't do this!" shouted Joanna the first to break the silence, "I need to see my friends!"

"They aren't your friends, Jo; they're just using you to get to me to get to the title so they can become champion. You should know as well as anyone that everyone in the WWE has a hidden objective even those who you view as an ally." Punk said calmly.

Jo shook her head as tears came from her eyes, "You're letting that stupid title control your judgment, Punk. Can you not see what it's doing to you, what Heyman and Lesnar are doing to you?!"

Punk growled at her as his eyes shifted to a darker shade of green than usual, "Not again with your Heyman hate story, Joanna have you seen what he has done for my career! I couldn't have accomplished this without him, any of this!"

"WILL YOU JUST LISTEN TO YOURSELF?!" screamed Jo as the tears fell from her eyes, "You didn't win that title buy hiring hit men or paying off referees! You won it by expressing what you believed and fighting for it along with help from people like Zack and Daniel. But if this is what you want to become, this egomaniac fighting for himself then go ahead, become that! Just know this; I don't want that as my father…"

Punk then did something no one in the WWE would have expected him to do; he slapped Joanna Davis Brooks, his own daughter, across the face. Jo's hair fell into her face as she rose her head towards the WWE Champion showing a trickle of blood coming from her nose.

"I hope know what you just did," Jo whispered as she shot Punk, one of the dirtiest looks he had ever seen come from the young girl he had adopted.

"I certainly do," Punk growled as he yelled for Heyman. Quickly the plump, little man entered at the champion's request, "Make sure she stays in your sight, I don't want to her anywhere near the other wrestlers or even down to the ring without me being there. You hear me, Paul?!"

Heyman nodded and sickly smiled at the girl. This hadn't been the plan, he sure liked where it was going. Punk was starting to learn his daughter was the weak link, his kryptonite, whatever it was Punk had learned that she was his weakness.

"I hear you loud and clear, Punk." Heyman said as Punk stormed out of the locker room shaking his head at his daughter. Heyman plopped down on the couch with a smirk across his face, "So princess, what do you got left to say?"

Jo looked sadly at the man that sat before letting the tears slip from her eyes as she choked out the words that the promoter was waiting to hear her say, "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

It seemed that the friendship and love between C.M. Punk and Joanna Davis Brooks was finally dead and it was certainly not coming back anytime soon. That was certainly how Jo felt at this moment in time, as though a part of her were dead.

(XXXX)

**Holy *insert inappropriate word here*! RUPERT! No, evil Punk is not a good idea! … Are you even listening to me you stupid plot bunny?!... What do you mean it will make Jo stronger?... Ugh, fine you win this round, stupid bunny whispering a bazillion plot ideas to me, you are not helping this story at all… Ugh, and it's only going to get worse! GAH!**

**Anyways, let's do some shout-outs!**

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**So until next time, work hard at your internship, cook some dinner, and drive through a whole lot of construction (I swear, I think I have a curse! Wherever I go there is always road work)!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	6. Shadows of the Night

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

Shadows of the Night

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

"It's odd, isn't it?" questioned Mike as I lean closer into him on the couch as he had his arm wrapped around me. Colt had left to go visit a few of his other friends wrestling tonight telling me that he would be back before my match to wish me luck. Randy and Sheamus were currently getting ready in their retrospective locker rooms before coming back to mine to pump me up before the match.

"What's odd?" I asked back as I looked into his eyes as he looked down at me with passion and concern.

"Our lives," he muttered quietly as he played absent mindedly with my hair.

I chuckled quietly and rolled my eyes, "We're professional wrestlers, when aren't our lives odd?"

Mike smiled at that response and nodded his head in agreement. The shit that we had to go through sucked hardcore sometimes. For example, look at my current predicament. I sighed deeply unhappy about it. Mike sensed it as he looked down at me concerned.

"You know you're going to be okay, right? We're all going to be okay." Mike said as I refused to look him in the eyes with that response. I didn't know if he was going to be right or wrong, the only one that knew that was fate. She and I hadn't been the best of friends lately with everything that I had to go through in order to get to this point. She had done me one favor and he was sitting next to me, right now, in my dressing room trying to cheer me up.

"Do you remember that night I came to Chicago?" questioned Mike abruptly.

"Yea, really well, actually," I stated confused at where he was going with this, "Why do you bring it up?"

"No reason, I just want to remember one of the few good things that has come from this," Mike said as I leaned more into him and listened to his heartbeat. He was one of the few good things I had found during this whole ordeal. Him, Sheamus, Randy, Zack, and Colt, they had managed to pick up the pieces as things fell apart. They were the glue that was holding me together. "You remember the song I sang to you, right?"

I rolled my eyes at him and gave him an amused look, "Actually, no I don't. Would you sing it for me?"

Mike grumbled something unintelligible, but did as I requested and pulled me closer into him as I listened to him begin to hum the lyrics to the song that he had sung to me just a few short months ago…

"If you wanna call me, call me, call me; You don't have to worry 'bout it baby; You can wake me up in the dead of the night; Wreck my plans, baby that's alright; This is a drop everything kinda thing; Swing on by, I'll pour you a drink; The door's unlocked, I'll leave on the lights…

Baby you can crash my party anytime…"

(XXXX)

_Early February 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

Colt Cabana was uneasy in his own household. His two favorite people wouldn't speak or even acknowledge that the other was even alive. It seemed that whatever was happening in the WWE had been brought home to Chicago. Several weeks ago, Joanna had stormed in like a hurricane as Punk followed suit neither saying a word as they both walked to their rooms and slammed the doors causing Colt to both grimace and raise a curious eyebrow.

Things got odder as one day Punk threw Jo's phone at Colt giving him strict instructions about not letting her find it. The next day it was the computer, then the ipod. It was as if he was cutting her off from the world. Colt tried to ask his friend, but Punk only glared at him and said it was because she misbehaved on their latest trip to a wrestling event.

The former wrestler was perplexed by this situation with no idea what to do until a thought popped into his head hitting the speed dial for one of his best broskis in the business. If anyone could give him answers about what was going on, it was Zack Ryder. Although, Colt had learned Zack had been released from the company he knew that the Long Island Iced Z still kept a close eye on his broskette. Hopefully, together the two wrestlers could piece together what the hell was going.

It was a dark and stormy night, when all the pieces fell into place. Zack had come to Chicago for a visit since Colt had asked. Punk had told Jo to stay home that week from the road. He had told Colt it was because she had insulted someone of high importance in the WWE. Colt shrugged his shoulders and accepted it. This would be the perfect opportunity for him and Zack to ask Jo what the hell was going on within the WWE Universe.

"Knock, Knock," said Colt as he opened the door to Jo's bedroom to find her sitting at her desk writing a note, "Can I come in?"

Jo rolled her eyes and nodded at the man before spitting out her remark, "Punk leave yet?"

Colt nodded as he looked over her shoulder at the note she was writing. There had to be at least a dozen pieces of paper addressed to various individuals in the WWE. Jo though was quick to catch onto to what Colt was looking at.

"It's nothing," Jo said shoving the letters out of view.

"It's not nothing, Jo," Colt answered annoyed by the girl's secrecy, "What is going on?"

Jo sighed as she fiddled with her hands and looked to the ground. She loved Colt as much as she loved Punk, but what if Punk had told him everything and convinced him that he was right? Jo was the kryptonite and should trust no one?

"You know I adopted you too, killer, Punk's not the only parent in this scenario," Colt reasoned putting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm here for you, whenever you need me, whenever you want me to be."

Jo nodded and gave in to Colt's pleading as she began to retell the story of the past several months in the WWE excluding the parts about Heyman and Lesnar assaulting her and Mike being her knight in shining armor. She told him of Punk and her fight after hanging out with Randy and Sheamus, how he had hit her, and the way he cut her off from the outside world.

"That explains the letters then," Colt said not surprised by his friend's actions, Punk was much overdue for a ride on the crazy train, "I swear after all this shit is over, you and Punk are taking an extended vacation."

"Don't I know it," muttered Jo as she pulled her legs up and brought them closer to her chest, "Colt, do you think that this will end okay? Like it won't be the end of our family forever because that's the scenario I have playing out in my head right now…"

Colt looked at his daughter and mulled over his words before speaking, "Jo, when you're young everything feels like the end of the world, but it's not."

Jo thought that over before turning to Colt and shaking her head, "Have you been watching my Zac Eafron movies while I'm out because that's the exact thing that Zac's character in 17 Again says to his daughter…"

The comedian blushed as he smiled lopsidedly at the young woman. He had to do something while she and Punk were on the road, plus it taught him a valuable life lesson about how if you had the chance to do your life over you wouldn't.

"No," Colt replied sheepishly as Jo threw a pillow at him.

"You're a bad liar, Cabana." Jo muttered rolling her eyes, "I love you, Colt."

Cabana smiled as he pulled Jo closer to him as she yawned hugely resting her head against his shoulder as she silently drifted off into sleep.

"I love you too, Joanna." Colt whispered as he too closed his eyes nodding off. Maybe things would get better for his daughter. Maybe Punk would snap out of his funk on his own. Otherwise he could deal with it by hitting Punk in the head with a steal chair, right? That would totally be accepted in today's society.

With that thought Colt placed Joanna on her bed, tucked her in, kissed her forehead, and bid her good night for the evening. He had to prepare for their house guest to come in late that evening. It was going to be a long night for him and his resident broski. The risks they were willing to take with this girl never failed to surprise him… she was his family after all.

(XXXX)

"Colt," yawned an awfully tired Joanna as she wandered into the kitchen trying to brush the sleep out of her eyes, "It's like two in the morning and I thought I heard you talking to someone?"

As Jo rounded the corner did she see who's sitting at the kitchen table with Colt each man respectively holding a coffee and chatting away. At first Jo thought she was seeing things, that spiky hair, the east coast accent coming off out of his mouth and the ever arrogant vibe that radiated off him. When he turned around it confirmed Jo's suspicions as a wide grin broke out across everyone's favorite broski's face.

"ZACK!" screamed Jo as the Long Island Iced Z! got up from his chair did the young woman launch herself off the ground into her brother's embrace. A range of every emotion crossed Jo's face as tears streamed down her face while she gazed on lovingly at her brother.

"Hey broskette, why on earth are you crying?" questioned Zack a bit worried about the girl.

"I'm just… so happy to see you," Jo cried, "I didn't think I was ever going to get to see you again."

Zack looked up from the sobbing woman as he made a puzzled face at Colt, who mouthed that he would explain it later to him. Ryder smiled down at Jo knowing full well it had been awhile since the night that the tragic event between him, The Shield, and Joanna had unfolded. That night had been tough on the both of them, not knowing how their relationship would progress if Zack wasn't there to protect the young up and coming wrestler, but from what had seen on TV, she was aligning herself with the right people like Sheamus and Orton. However, her segments with Punk and Heyman had him seriously worried. Something wasn't right with his family in the WWE and he planned to help find out what.

"Here, I think you need this," Colt said handing a hot mug of cocoa to Joanna as she sat on the couch. Zack took a seat next to her and protectively put his arm around her torso.

"No offense, bro, but why are you here?" questioned Jo taking a sip of her cocoa.

Zack sighed and ran a hand through his hair turning to look at Colt in the process. Cabana in return just shrugged his shoulders at the former WWE employed superstar.

"Colt called me, I was worried about you," Zack explained as Colt cleared his throat, "I mean we're both worried about you. Then tonight when I get here he tells me about Punk has done to you, that's not cool. You're his daughter, Colt's too, and my sister, no one treats you like that. So Colt and I decided we're going to help you in any way we can."

Jo set her mug on the coffee table next to her and turned to look at her possible protectors sternly, "This isn't your fight, you two, it's mine, and I can handle this myself. I have been so far and nothing bad has happened otherwise."

"That's a lie and a half, you know that!" shouted Colt as Jo turned to look at him, "I know Heyman has threatened you and done something to scare you to your inner core Joanna, but we can't help you if you won't let us in!"

"I NEVER SAID I DIDN'T WANT TO LET YOU IN! I DON'T NEED TO LOSE MORE PEOPLE I LOVE!" cried Jo as she wiped her hand causing the mug of cocoa to fall to the floor and shatter. Before any more questions could be asked by either of man, Jo took off running. She couldn't go to her bedroom that would be the first place they would look for her.

She then remembered a place that Punk had shown her many months ago when she had first moved in, it was a place of solitude and when someone needed time to breathe it was where they could escape to. Quietly, Jo snuck into guest bedroom and popped open the window. Outside of the window sat the fire escape stairs and from that point the entire Chicago skyline was showcased. It was a peaceful and quit place away from the rumble of everyday life. Or in this case the avid night life on the streets below.

The icy February wind blew briskly against Joanna's frame as she huddled into her ratty Chicago sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants. It hadn't been her best idea to come out here in the middle of winter, but she needed it. The city was differently showcased at night than during the day. One could see the lights coming from the airplanes landing at O'Hare; the reflection of the city light's off of Lake Michigan, along with the quiet rumble of humanity going on out there in the world. It was easing her nerves, ever since last July had her life been turned to hell. There was nothing good coming from her life anymore, her father only cared about his stupid championship, Paul Heyman wanted her dead, and Brock Lesnar could kill her with a single snap of his fingers.

"What the hell am I going to do?" Jo sighed gazing up the stars in the night sky.

"I can tell you," a voice shouted from down below on the fire escape. Jo squinted for a second and realized someone was crawling up the stairs toward her. Against her better judgment, Jo continued to sit waiting for the person to join her.

As he came into sight, Jo realized immediately who it was. He huffed and sat down next to her panting heavily from the exhaustion of climbing the fire escape from hell.

"Why did Punk decide you guys need to live on the 15th floor? Huh? You know why didn't he just buy the pen house and live there?" panted the man as Jo smirked at him.

"It was easier and Punk bought the entire floor remodeling it for Colt, myself, and him. It's funny I would have never pegged you as the creepy stalk kind Mike, most normal people would ask for a girl's address before showing up on her doorstep or in this case her fire escape."

Mike Mizannin rolled his eyes at the young woman sitting next to him, "Well I tried that and someone wasn't answering any of their technological devices. I'm guessing Punk went from minor crazy level to sub nuclear level?"

"How'd you know?" questioned Jo with a smirk at her friend, "But seriously how did you find me?"

"WWE has an employee directory with contact information in it, so I took a shot in the dark assuming that you lived with Punk. I came to Chicago to find out what the hell was going on and I'm coming down the street I see you burst onto the fire escape so what did I do? Decide to climb the stupid thing because something told me that you were out here because something else happened."

"Yea," Jo replied absentmindedly, "Colt and Zack want to help, but I can't let them. I don't want them getting hurt too, Mike. They're my family! What if Heyman gets his clutches into the two of them too? What if they see me as a weak link like Punk? What if…"

Before Jo could say more did Mike put his hand over her mouth and silenced the speculations.

"All I hear you saying is what if, Joanna, you're not one to use what-ifs, you just do the shit you need to do and get it done. You're CM Punk's Daughter, The Rebel Angel, but most importantly your Joanna Davis Brooks, the girl the changed so many people's lives. You just need to see that no matter what happens everyone will be okay. You will fix everything that needs to be fixed. You're this amazing young woman who has so much potential, you're not just the Rebel Angel anymore, you're going to be a Warrior Angel because you, me, Randy, and Sheamus were going to walk through the fires of hell that Paul Heyman has built around your father and bring him back to you."

Jo's eyes widened with optimism, "Really?"

"Really," Mike said smiling down at the girl who was about to debate with him, "Don't even try to tell me it's too dangerous or I'm too crazy, we're doing this for you Joanna because we love you and it's time that we put The Shield, Heyman, and Lesnar down for good. It's all about making the WWE fun again."

"You sound like Punk now, Mike," Jo said as she leaned his head onto his shoulder, "You have no idea how nice it's going to be to have people on my side finally."

"Yea, well don't thank me just yet," Mike replied, "Randy made a call to Colt and Zack asking for their help too. They'll be doing the relay work outside of the WWE while we fight in the ring."

"That's probably what they wanted to tell me tonight," sighed Jo running a hand through her hair.

"Yep," replied Mike shaking his head and smiling down at the young woman, "I'm sure they know I ran into you, if they haven't come out here yet, don't want to ruin the moment, ya' know?"

"Mike!" Jo said hitting The Awesome One gently in the arm and blushing bright red as she tried to hide the smile that was crossing her face due to her feelings about the man, "So onto other more pressing matters, what are we going to do about my little situation?"

"Easy," answered Mike as he began to relate to a crazy, yet absolutely brilliant plan that would create the perfect chess game for their given situation. The two sat on the fire escape until the sun began to rise from behind the clouds indicating that it was morning.

"Maybe it wasn't my best idea to stay out here so late," yawned Joanna as she stretched her arms out.

"Hey, we're wrestlers we deal with crap at all times of the night." Mike explained as they still sat tangled together on the fire escape, "So you're going to call me if you need me right?"

"My god if you say 'Call Me Maybe,' I'm going to slug you so hard," Jo growled as Mike shook his head and began to sing to the young woman.

"No, I was going to say that you're welcome to 'Crash My Party' at any time," Mike said as he began to sing to Joanna, "You can wake me up in the dead of the night; Wreck my plans, baby that's alright; This is a drop everything kinda thing; Swing on by, I'll pour you a drink; The door's unlocked, I'll leave on the lights…

Baby you can crash my party anytime…"

Jo smiled at The Awesome One as she got up and brushed herself off. She could hear Colt calling for her to come in, but before she left, she planted a small kiss on Mike's cheek causing the man to blush a bright red color.

"I'll see you at RAW, good sir," said the Rebel Angel while slipping through the window and waving good-bye to the great and mighty Awesome One. Mike shook his head as he began his endeavor to get down onto solid ground.

"Mizannin, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?" he said while shaking his head, "I should have just stuck with the crazy Canadian chicks, but no you just had to go for the damsel in distress..."

With that Mike began his climb down and for some reason began to hum the song that he sung to Joanna, if they did get Punk back, Mike was going to be a dead man for falling in love with the Rebel Angel. Or maybe he would be thrilled; Punk didn't seem like the overprotective type, did he? No, Mike was as good as dead.

(XXXX)

**Luke Bryan owns the song 'Crash My Party.' No Rupert, I'm just giving them clarification so Luke Bryan does not sue me, although I would probably tackle the man if I was in court with him. Country Boy shake it for me!... I digress… another ehhh… chapter. Next chapter though, I'm rather proud of, I've had it done since March and was originally why this story came about. Oh you remember, don't you Rupert? I was sitting in my Persuasion to Marketing Class and you just appeared and was all like you have to write this, you must write this! And now you've given me another awesome idea, Rupert. I thought this was going to be the shortest chapter story I'd ever written, but that's not going to be likely my readers, your all going to be shocked… eventually!**

**Anyways let's do some shout outs:**

**Reviews: LeahMarie (Things are only going to get worse, before they get better, but don't worry), WhiteAsukaLover (Again don't worry, Zack will eventually come back with a vengeance and Punk is playing the villain for this part of this story so I need him to be the jerk), Sonib89 (At least she told Colt part of what happened! And now it seems they have a plan! *fist pump*), and cheryl24 (yes, Wade will be a part of this story, but you're going to have to wait a few more chapters before he makes an appearance, like I said I have something big planned, you won't even see coming!).**

**I think I may post the next chapter tonight after I do a few tweaks to it.**

**So until next time, have your friend that's also an intern come visit you, pack for your travel week around the country for your internship, and watch some Dr. Who (I blame caylendar for getting me into it, I'm a big fan of the 11****th**** Doctor (Matt Smith), LOVE HIM!).**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	7. People Like Us

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

(Jo's POV)

People Like Us

(XXXX)

I paced the dressing room back and forth as Sheamus watched me. His eyes followed my every move. Mike had gone to go get ready for his own match that evening while Sheamus, Randy, and I warmed up for ours. Colt had come back a short while ago and wished me good luck once again.

To say I was nervous was an understatement, I was scarred shitless. In situations like these, I would have Punk to calm me down, but now here I stood shaking from the nerves rattling throughout my body. I felt like throwing up all across the floor, fainting so I wouldn't have to go out there in front of fifty thousand plus people, or maybe even just running away.

No, this had been building for months now and it was about damn time I took a stand and got back the most important person in my life.

"Alright, tonight we take a sword to that shield and make a dent!" screamed Randy as he came running into the locker room oozing pride and confidence. Sheamus eased up seeing his tag partner and friend looking ready to kick some ass, but then he turned back to me. I still felt like I was going to hurl my cookies all over the locker room floor.

"Jo, you okay lass?" he questioned as I shook my head no.

"Joanna, did I train you to be a coward or a fighter?" asked Randy as he turned to face me. I sighed; see this is where having the Viper of all people as your personal training coach really freaking sucks.

"A fighter," I say quietly looking at the ground afraid to make eye contact with Orton, he was going to that place, and you know the one I'm referring to right, where he becomes more snake than man?

"I didn't hear you, come on Jo? Who are you and why should I care about you? You're nothing, but a weak, pathetic little girl that The Shield can beat with one Triple Powerbomb. You're no threat to anyone in this business, you're not CM Punk's Rebel Daughter, and you're a coward!" Randy chided at me. While Mr. Viper, you know exactly what buttons to push don't you?

"I'M NOT A COWARD AND I CERTAINLY WILL KICK THE SHIELDS ASS ALL THE WAY BACK TO PARTS FREAKING UNKNOWN! I'M JOANNA DAVIS BROOKS AND I KICK ASS, TAKE NAMES, AND HAVE NO REGRETS. I WAS RAISED BY THE BEST IN THE WORLD, COACHED BY THE LEGEND KILLER, AND PLAN TO KILL PART OF WHAT STOLE MY FAMILY TONIGHT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as the two wrestlers looked at me, much in shock, "Too much?"

Randy wide eyed, shook his head rapidly back and worth, "You're not the broken girl that had to be saved from The Shield by Mike, Sheamus, and I anymore. You are the Warrior Angel. You're ready."

I breathed in a large breath as I remembered the last time I was in the ring with Punk. It was the straw that broke the camel's back for me and caused Mike's plan to begin to fall into action. I looked down at my locket that lay across my chest. It was a burning image of what had been and maybe what is yet to come. I was ready to go kick The Shield's ass after everything they had put me through anyway.

After all, I was with people like me now that would protect the ones they loved in order to ensure their safety and not to supposedly enforce false justice since they hadn't been given a fair shot. We were all warriors fighting for the right to save the ones we love. Let's just hope I have enough in me after I kill The Shield to save the father that I love from his own death, even if he wants me to or not. It'll be the way to getting him back, right?

I hope so and that all I can do right now is hope.

(XXXX)

_Late February 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

Joanna stood in the ring staring at Punk and Heyman, who were addressing the WWE Universe for the first time that night. Punk screeching at the top of his lungs about being champion for 365 days and how no one had the power to stop him. No one could defeat him. Whoever tried to get the title usually failed because Heyman had hired hit men and paid off referees, it was horrible and every time someone got close to catching the cheating duo they managed to slither their way out of the accusations.

The young Rebel Angel stood in the ring in dark skinny jeans and a pale yellow blouse with a bow tied to the right of the shirt. She had draped a black cardigan over the outfit and was wearing a pair of gray flats with cute bows adorning the ends of the shoes. Her hair was curled with the right amount falling into her face.

Punk had finally let up and allowed Jo to start traveling again after much vigor from Colt saying that he couldn't keep her locked up all day. She needed to be able to spread her wings, but Heyman had advised Punk to make sure those wings stayed clipped with having her under the supervision of either Heyman or Lesnar at all of the shows while he was in the ring.

Jo had shaken the fear of the three men away now and was just plain angry. She wanted to get her revenge and it was going to be tonight. She was supposed to tell Mike when she was going to intiate it, but that wasn't going to happen since Jo hadn't seen him all day. This left Jo to deal with her own devices, so it was now or never.

She stood in the corner, as Heyman had told her to, with her hands clenched in front of her staring off into the distance watching the rows of the arena react to everything that the two men said. Deep, deep, deep down, Jo knew on some level this was not what she stood for and it's not what Punk had stood for ever. This was Heyman's manipulation and Jo hated it, every second.

"Listen to me you moronic simpletons, I'm your champion, and you pay me the respect I deserve! 365 days I've carried this title and I don't even get the respect I deserve from you!" Punk screamed into the microphone as the fans chanted CM Sucks back to him. Punk clenched his jaw as his eyes grew with more anger. "GIVE ME YOUR RESPECT! I'M YOUR CHAMPION!"

The audience became hushed after that outburst from the WWE Champion as his grin turned into his usually smirk that they were giving him what he wanted, but that silence was interrupted.

"No," spoke a soft voice that Punk would recognize anywhere as Jo. Punk turned to face his adopted daughter shocked that she of all people was speaking up against him.

"Excuse me?" questioned Punk in irritation.

"You heard me the first time, I said no." Jo answered as she walked to the center of the ring to address her father and his so called manager. "A champion does not demand respect, he earns it. You taught me that or did you forget?"

Punk's mouth fell open in shock that Jo had chosen now to finally speak her mind.

"Rebel Angel," Heyman tried to reason with her as Jo snarled at the disgusting man.

"Don't call me that, you two bit troll," Jo said growling at Heyman; "You have not earned the right to call me that! And you, you don't even have that right anymore! I'm sick of standing here and not saying a word. I have watched you become less of a champion and more of a coward than ever before. I can't take this anymore! You're better than this Punk, you always have been, but now you let these people help you defend your title because you can't do it yourself? I thought you were the champion who was going to change this place? It seems to me that you're nothing more than the same champion as all the others before you.

"I've done this enough. I can't watch anymore from the sidelines. I need to be able to voice my opinion; I need to be able to speak up on what is right and what is wrong. You cheating Ryback and Rocky is wrong. What has either done to you? Ryback earned his shot just like you did back in the day! Rock, on the other hand, that's a topic I won't get into right now.

"I'm tired of this. I'm done with this." Jo said as she threw the microphone down on the ground and exited the ring not caring anymore as the crowd applauded her with everything she had just said. She bowed to the audience before beginning her trek up the ramp to the backstage area.

"Where do you think you're going?!" screeched Punk, "Joanna, get back in this ring! Right now! Do you hear me? Joanna! Don't you dare turn your back on me, do you hear me?!"

It's was too late, Jo shook her head and turned on her heel continuing walking up the ramp. Just as she reached the top of the ramp did the music for The Shield hit. Jo turned around to find that Heyman was waving his cellphone at the girl with a classic 'I've got you now, missy' look plastered across his face.

"Don't be scared, don't be scared," she muttered to herself as she took off running looking over her shoulder to see Heyman and Punk telling them to go after her and not to come back until they got her. Jo dashed through the backstage area running as quickly as possible.

"Where can I go?" she whispered to herself as she sprinted through catering as several superstars watched wondering what was going on. She turned around to see that The Shield was still on her tail as she leapt over a cart of equipment. Still trying to find somewhere to hide from Heyman's henchmen was difficult. Zack was gone, Colt was back home in Chicago, the last thing the divas needed was to deal with was these men, she really should have told Randy, Sheamus, and Mike it was going to be tonight she decided to turn on her father. "Ugh, I'm so fucking screwed."

Not paying attention to where she was running, she tripped over a power cord and crawled to lean back up against a wall. She was so dead. The Shield had her trapped and there was no way she was going to get out of here alive, not after what she had said to Punk and Heyman.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are pretty lady," called out Roman Reigns.

"I'd rather go jump in a pile of snakes than come out," shouted Jo as she panted looking at her now bloody knee. It looked like that fall took more out of her than she thought.

"We aren't going to hurt you precious, we just want to take you to Mr. Heyman." Dean Ambrose replied as Jo backed further into the cold icy wall.

"Yea," she snorted as three shadows fell over her body with a scream about to escape her lips, but it never did because...

"Hey uglies, why don't you come pick on someone your own size!" screamed a voice that Jo recognized immediately as Mike. Jo's eyes widened as their attention turned from her to him. Two of them headed toward Miz looking prepared for whatever may happen. As the Shield members approached either side of Miz who was standing out in the corridor of the hallway did two steel chairs appear to hit each member of The Shield in their heads, knocking them out cold.

"Men!" yelled the only remaining member, Ambrose as Miz smirked at him "I suggest you take your men here and scram before my friends and I show you the way out."

"But, the girl!"

"Don't even touch her, you asshole. And tell Punk if he wants her, he'll have to go through me." Miz stated calmly as Jo saw Sheamus and Randy round the corner of the wall each holding a steal chair respectively.

"And me," Randy growled.

"And me as well, fella," Sheamus agreed with a head nod.

Ambrose nodded as he ran off grabbing his cohorts and scrambling out of that area of the arena. Jo turned to the three men, who came over to her as she smiled up at them weakly.

"You guys couldn't get here any sooner?" Jo asked weakly as her eyelids tried to stay open.

"Oh Angel, if you would have told us tonight was the night you wanted to do this we would have gotten here as fast as we could, thank goodness Mike was keeping tabs on you, or you would have been in more trouble than you already were." Randy explained as he scooped her up into his arms to take her to the medics.

"Thanks Mike," she slurred too tired to keep her eyes open as she began to fade into unconsciousness.

"You're welcome Joanna," Miz said looking at the girl in Randy's arms, who seemed to be falling asleep in the Viper's arms.

"You can call me, Jo, Mike," Jo whispered loud enough for them all to hear it, "You earned it."

(XXXX)

"Ugh, I feel like I've just been hit by a truck," moaned Jo as she opened her eyes to see she was staring at the ceiling in Randy Orton's dressing room. She looked down to see someone had placed her in a pair of basketball shorts and clothed her knee that had been wounded in the run in from The Shield.

She looked around the room to find that there was one person staring at her, his big blues orbs staring directly at her, hair that was a complete mess, her make-up completely smeared, and looking horrible.

"Wow, you're here and probably think I look like a wreck, right?" Jo moaned as Mike looked over at the beautiful Rebel Angel smiling at her.

"You don't look like a wreck; you look like a ray of beauty." Mike answered as he made his way over to Jo and leaned next to her as she tried to prop herself on one elbow, "Here let me help you, the doctor said you need at least a week off of training for your knee to get better."

"A week?" screeched Jo as Mike winced in pain realizing she was still holding his hand and had hurt him, "Sorry, I'm just not used to not being able to train, that's all. Ugh, fucking Shield."

Jo threw her body back onto the couch and groaned in frustration.

"Hey, hey, don't be so negative about this! You will get better and kick their asses in no time. I know you and I've watched you for a while now and know that you're different." Mike smiled at her.

"You've watched me?" questioned Jo with a raised eyebrow.

"We've been hanging out for a while now, of course I'd watch your training. I know Punk's not my biggest fan, but you, your something else with your wrestling and dedication and your heart. That's what I admire, your heart. No one can take that from you." Mike said as she looked at him. Never in a million years did she think that The Miz of all people would be standing in her best friend's dressing room complimenting her. She also hadn't factored in that Punk would go crazy, but that was another subject, "The world needs more people like you, Joanna."

Jo smiled as she brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. As Mike looked at her big, beautiful, deep green eyes, her eyes were fulfilled with loyalty, pride, strength, and even a small amount of hope.

"Mike," called Jo as he snapped out of his examination of her eyes as she smirked at him knowing full well she had caught him staring at her.

"Uh yea?" questioned The Awesome One. Jo grabbed his arm and pulled him down to her level and kissed him on the cheek. Mike turned bright red as Joanna smiled at him.

"Thank you for saving me tonight," Jo said quietly.

"You're more than welcome," Miz answered back as he tucked a lose strand of her hair behind her ear for her. He figured he could make his move on her, it was now or never as he slowly leaned in and his lips gently brushed against hers as they begun to kiss. That kiss was the marking of something special, something that would not be broken anytime soon.

"Whoa," whispered Mike as he broke away from her as she looked up at him.

"Whoa, is right," she answered quietly looking at the WWE Superstar, not realizing what she had just done and also really not caring.

"Miz!" called a strange voice that Jo didn't recognize outside the door, "Are you almost done in there? Orton and Sheamus will be here in ten!"

"I have to go," Miz whispered as he kissed her once more before dashing out the door. He stuck his head back in blowing her a kiss as she saw someone grab his shirt collar and yank him out the door.

Jo smiled just as Randy and Sheamus walked in about two minutes later surprised to see that she was up. Randy smiled and patted her on the shoulder as Sheamus handed her the next round of medication for her knee.

"So today was eventful wasn't it?" chuckled Randy as Sheamus nodded his head. Jo looked elsewhere in the room, not wanting to think about anything, but focusing on so many things at once.

"You sure can say that, Rand," Jo muttered as she yanked off her locket that the boys had given her for Christmas and threw it across the room knowing full well it was the ending of one chapter, but the beginning of another for her in the WWE.

But she was going to make sure she could edit a few parts before she was finished with this story.

(XXXX)


	8. Gone, Gone, Gone

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

Gone, Gone, Gone

(Jo's POV)

(XXXX)

_April 3__rd__, 2013_

We walked to the guerilla position together. Randy, on my right, Sheamus on my left while I was in the middle of the two. My black hair curled into an up do, my ring gear in pristine condition. I would be the second superstar tonight to make their debut at WrestleMania and no less with Randy Orton and Sheamus by my side. Our opponents though we were going against were no less superstars then ourselves, The Shield. It was going to be a brutal, give it all, match.

We stopped and watched as Chris Jericho went out for his match against Fandango. I felt the side of my face burn where he had left the scar on my face. Jericho was still a sore subject with me even though he was supposedly all pure and good now, never trust someone farther than you can throw them, Punk had taught me that, the power of irony, right?

I felt someone wrap their arms around my waist and pull me close as he breathed down my neck. I released the breath I was holding as Mike twirled me around and our gazes caught with each other, his pure blue eyes staring straight into my emerald green ones.

"Knock it off, Mizanin, you can get it on with my protégé after the show," muttered Randy as he yanked me away from Mike, but before he could do that did Mike press a quick kiss to my lips and whispered good luck in my ear. I heard Randy audibly groan.

"Awe, come on Orton, you were a youngin once, let the lass have her fun." Sheamus said as he pulled me over to our cue spot.

"Yea, Randy, listen to Sheamus," I replied with a smirk on my face causing Orton to roll his eyes at me.

"Jo, listen," Randy said turning all serious on the two of us, this wasn't good, "Tonight you make your first in ring impression on the WWE Universe, and I want you to know that most people don't usually come out fighting like this, but tonight your career may end before it even begins."

I humphed at Randy and rolled my eyes, "You've been listening to way to many Shield promos with us in them you know that, right?"

But Randy kept on with his seriousness, "I just want to make sure you're ready for anything and everything that they could throw at us tonight. We all love you and don't want you to get hurt out there."

"You done," I questioned as The Viper nodded at me, "You remember what I told you when we left your house after you took me in? I told you that I'm not The Rebel Angel anymore, I'm the Warrior Angel. I'm everybody in my family's strength. It's time that I show the world that strength that you all tell me I have. No more sitting back and watching, I'm ready, Randy. You trained me for this, I'm your protégé, and I know what I'm doing. Trust me, when I say that one of us will get the three count, we get our hands raised, and I nail one of the Shield with the Angel's Kiss of Death, and will nail one of those sleezebags with it, this will all be over and we can all get on with our lives."

"Strong words, lassie," Sheamus said putting a hand on my shoulder, "Strong, fightin' words, I knew there was a reason that Orton convinced me to let you join the team. And I don't regret it for a minute."

I smiled at Sheamus as he pulled me into a hug as I turned and motioned for Randy to join us.

"You two tell anyone we're having a group hug before our match, I will end you," whispered Randy.

Although he could be The Viper in the ring, I'd learned a lot from my teacher over the last few months that deep down Randy Orton was a caring and sincere man with a huge heart. He had after all helped pull me out of the worst part of my fight with Punk and helped put me up to where I was today.

Standing waiting to face my ultimate enemy, The Shield, on the grandest stage of them all, thanks Randy; I'll owe you more than you will ever know.

(XXXX)

_Early March 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

"Is that the last box Rand?" questioned Sheamus as he finished carrying Jo's positions into the Orton household. It had been less than a week since Joanna's little stunt on Monday Night Raw. Colt Cabana had called Joanna screaming into the phone about how stupid of a move that had been not telling any of them and that she was damn lucky Mike had been there to save her ass.

Randy nodded his head at Sheamus as the Irishman headed up the staircase of the Orton household to a guest room that had been designated as Joanna's. Things had not gotten better for the young girl after Raw, Punk, at the insistence of Heyman, cut a pipebomb of a promo kicking Joanna out of the apartment until she saw the error her ways and came back to her senses, but until then he had bigger things to worry about. They all did because as of now WrestleMania was only a month away.

But WrestleMania wasn't the most pressing matter on Randy's mind right now; it was the girl sitting out on his back porch staring at the sky. He watched the black haired girl as he was propped leaning up against the door frame in his kitchen leading out to the backyard deck. Joanna Davis Brooks never looked so downtrodden in her life. After everything that Wade had put her through, what Jericho had done, Ziggler, Swagger, the list went on and on, but nothing had hurt the girl more than the betrayal of her own father against her.

Betrayal, the worst injury your opponent could ever inflict on you. Randy remembered feeling it when he was kicked out of Evolution, when Legacy disbanded, it had happened numerous times in his career, but it was never his family that betrayed him. It wasn't his father. This was not an injury that you could heal with rehab, or training, or anything of that sort. It was an injury that needed time to heal. As that old saying says, time heals all wounds.

At least that's what Randy was hoping for Jo, anyway.

"Daddy?" questioned a small voice as he felt a tug on his pant leg glancing down to see Alana standing there staring at him. Randy picked the young girl up and pulled her into his arms. It was times like this he wished his daughter would never have to grow up and face the harsh reality of the real world.

"Yes munchkin," replied the RKO star looking down at his daughter.

"Is Auntie Jo going to live with us?" questioned Alana perplexed as she spotted the young woman sitting on the back porch, "If she is why is she so sad about it?"

Randy sighed; he hadn't prepared an explanation for his daughter, just for Sam and she had understood. Sam had pretty much insisted the young woman stay here for the time being since Randy needed to train her, she needed to be somewhere loving, and they could always use a babysitter, if need be, of course.

"Auntie Jo is going to be living with us for a little bit. Uncle Punk is the middle of-"before Randy could finish did Alana speak to her father.

"Uncle Punk wants Auntie Jo to join him; otherwise she'll be hurt, right? Mommy had the TV on when Auntie Jo was in trouble on RAW." Alana explained with a shrug as Randy's eyes widened, he really needed to have a talk with his wife "If it helps she can stay in my room. I can move my dollies and their house. She can stay there."

Randy smiled down at his daughter, her always wanting to help even at such a young age. She was every bit of her mother goodness with every ounce of fight in her that came from her father.

"I'm sure, Jo would really appreciate that, Al, but she's staying in the guest room right next door to your room," Randy answered with a chuckle as his daughter frowned, she must have really been hoping for a playmate, "Don't worry, she'll be right next door and I'm sure she'll play with you once she feels better."

Alana frowned at her father, "Is she sick, Daddy? Do we need to take her to a doctor?"

"I don't think any Doctor can fix what Jo has sweetheart."

"What does she have?" questioned Alana worried about her favorite Aunt.

"A broken heart, one of the hardest things to fix, you'll understand when your older," Randy said setting the girl down as he headed out onto the porch to sit with the Rebel Angel. He prayed like hell that he didn't have to mend something this severe when Alana got older.

"Hey," Randy said quietly taking a seat next to Joanna on the porch swing that was sitting on the deck of the house overlooking the backyard.

"Hey," Jo squeaked out turning for a short time to glance at the Legend Killer.

"Sheamus and I finished moving all of your stuff that Colt sent in upstairs," Randy explained as Jo leaned her head onto his shoulder and sighing deeply, "You know you're not in this alone, now, right?"

"Yea, I know." Jo reasoned, "That doesn't mean it still isn't going to hurt like hell."

"Nobody is invincible, Jo. If we were don't you think Vince would have us jumping off skyscrapers doing a wrestling match?" asked the Legend Killer as Joanna smiled and laughed at him.

"There's that laugh and a smile to go along with it! Wow, I'm good!" Randy cockily said with a smirk on plastered across his face. Jo rolled her eyes and looked over to The Viper, "But seriously, all of us have experienced this in one way or another during our careers, not a lot of people have ever experienced it as bad as you, but it will make you stronger, better, faster, and eventually a champion."

"What if I don't want to be a champion, Randy?" Jo asked as tears began to fall from her eyes, "What if I just want to have a father who loves me for my being with every part of his? But I'm not going to have that because my own father kicked me out since he thought a championship was more important than his baby girl. How long will it take to heal that Randy, huh, how long? Will it bring me gold in the end? I've seen what a title does to people around here and I want no part of becoming that."

Randy frowned as Joanna began to sob in his arms, rubbing circles on her back in order to let the anger.

"Shhh, let it out Angel, just let it out," Randy said in a hushed voice as the Rebel Angel sobbed, "Just let it out, I'm here, Sam's here, Alana's here, Sheamus is here, I can have Mike, Colt, and Zack here if I hit the speed dial on my phone. They all want to be here for you, to make you stay, you're not in this alone. You never were."

He glanced down at the girl lying in his arms who had finally settled down.

"You're never alone Joanna, were all here and we aren't going anywhere, I promise."

"Promise?" questioned Jo as she looked up at her trainer.

"I pinky promise," said The Viper sticking out his pinky to the young Rebel.

"You're going soft on me, Orton. You've been hanging around five year olds to long," Jo answered with a laugh as Randy playfully rolled his eyes as Jo happily hooked pinkies with the man before taking on a more serious tone, "For real, you promise?"

Randy smiled down at his protégé, "I'm here and so are the others. We're not going anywhere."

(XXXX)

After a few days in the Orton household, Jo slowly started to revert back to her usual self. Randy had found her in the kitchen helping Sam cook dinner some nights, other days he would find her playing with Alana, and occasionally he found her in the garage tinkering away at an old Ford Mustang. Orton had found the piece of junk during one of his travels across the country with Cena. It had been back in their younger days, but he hadn't done much with it.

Jo had taken kindly to it, knowing a little about cars herself from what little her true father, Wade Barrett had taught her. Randy saw it was a project that the young woman had begun to pour her soul into to make her heart heal. It was something that she loved and something that would let her easily forget. She would blast music from her iPod into the garage until late in the evening. Sam would kick Randy out of the house to go retrieve the young woman to make her sleep. His wife had also suggested that he invite Cena over and he could probably help with the reconstruction project.

Randy had rolled his eyes at that thought. John was his best friend, but sometimes he was a moron. Maybe he would give him a call to make this project a bit easier on Jo. Randy, however, did remember Jo's annoyance with the man, but hey it couldn't hurt her to get to know Cena better, could it?

The week passed quickly and before both Randy and Jo knew it did a WWE bus pull up to take the two to the next round of shows before the big dance known as WrestleMania. Randy predicted that they would be back to the house once more before the show of shows.

"You two be safe," Sam said while she kissed Randy good bye. Randy returned the kiss and nodded his head as he looked to see Alana latching onto Jo's legs not wanting her to go.

"But JoJo you can't go, what if Mommy and I need you?" questioned Alana as her lower lip quivered. Jo smiled sweetly and picked the girl up into her arms.

"Alana, I'll be okay. I promise, I have your Dad and Uncle Sheamus, and you know The Miz, right? They're all going to be there to protect me. And from what I have heard your Dad's tag team is looking for a new member to help kick The Shield's butt," Jo said with a smirk as Alana's eyes widened with joy.

"Really?!" asked the excited girl to her older friend.

"You'll just have to watch Monday Night," smirked Jo as she ruffled Alana's hair and handed her off to her mother while lifting her bags up.

"You be careful, young lady, you hear me?" questioned Sam as Jo nodded her head before giving her a quick hug and heading to the bus, "And keep Randal in line will yea?"

Jo turned around and smirked, nodding her head at the woman before boarding the bus.

"While someone looks happy," Randy muttered as he sat playing with his phone sitting at the table inside the kitchen area of the bus. Jo threw her backpack at the Viper and plopped down on the soft couch facing the table, "I haven't seen you smile like that in a few weeks."

"I'm just really excited for our announcement on Smackdown, aren't you?" questioned Jo as the bus began to roar to life, watching as the Orton household began to fade away.

"The Shield isn't even going to know what the hell hit them," Randy said with his classic smirk coming across his face, "You're sure you can handle this from here on out? It's going to be an all-out war, there's no turning back now."

Jo looked at her reflection in the window. It was about time that she stood up for what she believed in and made sure she got her point across to Heyman, The Shield, but most important CM Punk.

"Trust me, I can handle whatever the hell they're going to throw at me," replied Jo, "And you want to know why? Because I'm not the Rebel Angel anymore, I'm a Warrior Angel. I fight for what's good, what's right, and more importantly my family. More than once I have learned that family doesn't end with blood. You, Alana, Sam, Colt, Zack, and Mike (although she hoped he would be something more) you're all my family. This isn't just for me anymore; it's for all of you. It's time I showed Heyman I'm not somebody's weakness, I'm everybody's strength."

(XXXX)

**The arc build up for the first half of this story is almost done! Yea! *high five Rupert* Chapter 10 is going to be the Interlude and trust me; you won't want to miss it. That's when everything sort of comes together, but not really… oh teaser in order to get you to read more!**

**Shout-outs go to:**

**Story Alert: Dixiewinxwrites12**

**Reviews: cheryl24 (hope this chapter answered your question!) and Sonib89 (I know it was good Jo finally got her rage out in the last chapter, I had fun writing her telling him off)**

**So until next time, work on some testimonials for products at your internship, go on an adventure around your state of residence, and celebrate something by getting a free meal!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


	9. Feel Again

The Miscellaneous Adventures of a Warrior Angel

Feel Again

(Jo's POV)

(XXXX)

_April 3rd, 2013_

"Five minutes," called the tech hand in our direction as he waved his hand high in the air at Randy, Sheamus, and I giving us a fair warning that our match was about to be up.

I felt like I was going to hurl again as I looked at the other two who began to psych themselves up for the match again. I couldn't do that as I quickly grabbed my headphones plugging myself into a different world entirely. I wasn't thinking about how I had to protect Sheamus, Randy, and myself from The Shield tonight. I wasn't thinking about what Heyman might have planned because knowing him he would try and interfere in my match. I wasn't thinking about Colt or Zack, who were probably sitting in the front row. I wasn't thinking about my relationship with Mike and how close we had become.

I was thinking about the one man that had brought me to this point.

"Joanna," said someone as whoever it was shook my shoulder. A thought popped into my head as I looked up, but the person that I found staring at me was not who I was hoping for.

"Taker," I said quietly taking my headphones off and setting them down, looking up at the legend. I had learned from many of the wrestlers before me that it was important to respect your elders and if there was one man who you were to respect more than anyone else it was the Undertaker.

"I just wanted to wish you good luck, child," stated The Deadman in his eerie, yet appropriate way, "I have seen the trials and tribulations that you have gone through in the recent months and I've never said this before, but you have earned my respect faster than any other superstar or diva here."

I blinked in awe at what the Undertaker had just said to me.

"Thank you, Mr. Calaway," I said as I nodded at him, "You don't know how much that means. I hope that you'll be as impressed with my in ring skills as my out of ring ones."

Undertaker smiled, an old tired at me as he nodded.

"Two minutes, Joanna!" shouted the techy as Randy and Sheamus stood over by the curtain. I nodded at the man and turned back to Undertaker.

"Are you coming out to watch your father's match against me tonight?" he questioned. I shook my head rapidly looking down at my boots, not wanting to explain to the legend why I would be avoiding that part of the show. Before I could explain did the Undertaker put a finger under my chin and rose it up to make eye contact with him.

"I'm an old man, Joanna and if there's one thing that I have loved seeing over the last two years, it's been you and that father of yours. You may not think it right now, but he loves you more than you will ever know even he can be a stubborn asshole occasionally." Taker explained as he looked at me, "Don't give up on him yet, Joanna, because he hasn't given up on you."

Before anymore could be said did Undertaker disappear. He did leave a cloud of smoke from his disappearing though causing me to almost choke to death as I coughed and waved the foggy air away. For a brief moment, I could see a familiar figure poke his head out of the corridor and look in my direction.

"JOANNA!" screamed the technician as he began to pull me to my cue spot, "YOU HAVE GOT TEN SECONDS UNTIL YOU HAVE TO BE OUT THERE! GO! GO! GO!"

As the techy began the countdown, I turned around and looked back to where I had seen the figure in the shadowy corridor. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me, I tried to convince myself, but it wasn't.

CM Punk walked out of the corridor and gave me a sheepish smile while raising his thumb up at me. He then pointed at the ground and the monitor signifying that he wasn't going to go anywhere. He mouthed something to me that I presumed was "You wouldn't think your own father was going to miss your debut match, did you?"

After everything that had happened, here Punk was. The Deadman was right, he hadn't given up on me after all even after I slapped him, told him off, and fought with him. Punk hadn't given up on me after all. He had just been trying to protect me all along.

For the first time in very long time, a genuine and sincere smile crossed my face as I looked back at Punk with tears pricking my eyes. He was just protecting me like he had said. It just took the Deadman to show me that, yet again, sometimes you just have to see things from a different point of view.

Punk had never given up on me and I just needed something to spark my feelings that I hadn't given up on him. With a nod of approval from Punk, I threw aside the curtain and rushed down to the ring with Randy and Sheamus. Now it was just a matter of time until things slowly fell back into place.

I just hoped I wasn't too late. Or had broken too many things, but as Sheamus had said earlier that day to me and Randy, broken things could be fixed, if anyone could fix this it would be me.

That's what I was hoping for anyway.

(XXXX)

_Late March 2013 (3__rd__ Person POV)_

Joanna slowly limped back to her locker room after being thrown out of the ring as she tried to protect Sheamus and Randy from the Shield after the duo's two on three handicap match with the gruesome threesome. The duo of the Celtic Viper had finally asked the question she had been dying to hear in regards to being the third member to face The Shield at Mania and Jo was ecstatic. Randy had suggested it be best that Jo didn't compete until Mania leaving everyone on edge when it came to Jo's in ring skills. Sheamus had reluctantly agreed with The Viper and Jo eventually came around to agreement as well. But that didn't mean that The Shield still wasn't going to target the young woman.

And thus the reasoning behind why Jo was limping her way back to the locker room.

"Here let me help you," said a quiet voice that caused Joanna to jump about three feet in the air as she turned around to see Mike standing there about to wrap his arms around her torso to help walk back.

"God, Mike, don't do that!" Jo said swatting the awesome one as Mike playfully rolled his eyes at her.

"Sorry," Mike responded sheepishly looking at his feet as Jo sighed and looked at him.

"Well, are you going to help me or not?" she questioned as Mike perked up and came closer to help the young woman that he was slowly falling in love with. He put her arm over his shoulder as they slowly began to walk back to her locker room.

"Don't put too much weight on it," Mike warned as they began the long, agonizing walk back to Jo's locker room, "I don't want Randy coming after me about how you were stupid and broke your ankle."

"I won't," Jo reasoned as she cringed at the amount of pain that shot through her. Of course, Mike immediately noticed and looked down at her glaring as she shrugged innocently at him.

"Hold on," Mike muttered and before Jo could object to anything did he sweep her up into his arms in a bridal carry, "This should make it easier on both of us."

"You're ridiculous, you know that right?" questioned Jo with a hint of annoyance coming through her voice about being carried like this.

"I'm only ridiculous for you," Mike shot back as they made it to Jo's locker room, "Well my lady, this is your stop. Now, Dr. Miz says that you need to rest that ankle, ice it, and take lots of Advil."

Jo rolled her eyes at the man and reluctantly nodded her head to make sure Mike didn't worry too much about her. She could take care of herself, but something deep down inside her told her that Mike wanted to take care of her too.

"Alright, Dr. Miz," she said with a chuckle as he gently set her down on the ground, "Thank you for the help and ummm… well… I've been thinking that…"

"About you and me, right?" Mike questioned as Jo nodded, "I've been thinking a lot about us too. I'm not sure if you want there to be something more or maybe it's just me."

"Mike, I," before Jo could say more did Mike crash his lips into hers initiating yet another passionate kiss between the two as quickly as the kiss began did it end as Mike removed his lips from Joanna's.

"How about we do this the proper way?" questioned Mike as he grabbed her hands looking her dead in the eyes, "Miss Davis, can I take you on a date?"

"Well, Mr. Mizanin I would love to. So when shall this date happen?"

"How about the night after WrestleMania and the Raw after is done that night and we know that things are back to normal? Does that work?" questioned Mike as Joanna smiled fondly at him nodding, "Well then, I must take my leave and remember what I said about the ankle!"

"Good night, Mike," Jo said quietly while the Awesome One began to walk away from The Rebel Angel.

"Good night, Jo," he said back as he faded from the hallway leaving her standing outside of her locker room staring at the empty space.

With a smile plastered across her face she turned and opened the door. First, a nice, long, hot shower to wash off the stink, then a very long rest before Randy got here and they hoped on the bus headed to the next city for the next show. After all that she could rest her ankle that was now throbbing as if a drum was beating in it. Sadly all those thoughts were vanished from her mind, when she saw who was sitting on the couch in her locker room.

Jo's green eyes instantly turned to daggers as the man sitting on the couch watched intently. He knew Jo Davis was not going to be happy to see him. What had it been days, months, years since he had last seen her? She truly was the radiating image of her mother. Just by the way that she looked at him; he immediately knew that he had only a limited amount of time.

"SECURITY!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, now he really had very small amount of time.

"Please Joanna, hear me out," he pleaded as she continued to glare daggers at the man, "I'm not here for me, I'm here for someone else entirely."

Jo looked at him suspiciously as she crossed her arms while tapping her foot impatiently continuing to glare angrily at the man standing in her dressing room.

"Fine, Barrett, what is it?" Jo growled out as she stepped further into the room leaving the door open so any passersby saw what was going on and also giving her an escape route if need be.

Wade pulled out what appeared to be a disc and stuck it out to her to take. Jo eyed Barrett very suspiciously as she grabbed the disc from him as millions of questions rushed through her head. Who would have sent this? Why would they have Wade Barrett of all people give it to her?

"Are we done?" questioned Jo as she looked up at Wade, who sickly smirked at her.

"For now," said the British Brawler as he took his leave, but before he did that he left Jo with a thought to chew on, "We'll meet again soon; Joanna and you'll actually want to be with me."

"Only when hell freezes over, Barrett," Jo spit back spitefully as the wrestler left leaving her staring at the disc that was in her hands. Jo shut the door to her locker room as she tossed the disc into her bag. It was going to be another long, probably sleepless, night on Randy's tour bus, but at least now she had something to keep her entertained. That probably wasn't a good thing though.

(XXXX)

Jo could hear Randy's muffled snores coming from in the bedroom at the far end of the bus as she silently slipped out of her bed grabbing the disc that Barrett had given her from her bag. She had learned that Randy could sleep through anything and everything so her playing the disc out in the small living room area on her computer wouldn't wake him up. Jo didn't want him to find out about this, he had done so much for her during this and she didn't want to cause Orton more worry than he already had about her.

As the Rebel Angel, popped the disc into her laptop and got comfortable she heard Randy moan and then again go back to his snoring. Jo rolled her eyes at the sleeping lump and turned her attention back to the disc as a screen popped up and a familiar locker room came into view. Jo knew that locker room only too well and a long forgotten picture of Punk giving her a piggyback rid down some Chicago street lay in the background.

Jo frowned, maybe watching this without Randy wasn't the best idea as tears began to prick her eyes, but then a familiar figure entered the shot and sat down in front of where the filming was taking place.

"Hey Jo," he said quietly as he looked at the camera sheepishly with a sad smile on his face.

"Punk," she silently whispered as she reached her hand up to touch her adoptive father on the screen as Punk did the same which was quite eerie to her as she watched it.

"If you're watching this that means that Barrett did his job and got it to you with no problems," Punk explained as he looked glumly at the camera, "I don't have much time to explain before Heyman comes back with Lesnar, but I owe you an explanation for all of this."

Jo rolled her eyes, "An explanation, you went nuts, Punk…"

"I didn't go crazy if that's what you're thinking," Punk explained as Jo gawked at the screen realizing that it was as if he was still on the same wave length as her, "It started that first night after I had you meet Heyman, I knew something was wrong so I slowly began to confront him because I was worried about the way he was treating you. That was my first mistake going into this alone.

"It took a while, but eventually I did confront Paul about everything and then he told me exactly what he said to you. All this shit about you being my kryptonite and how I would be a stronger champion if you weren't around. I told him he had it all wrong and if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be where I am today.

"Needless to say he didn't believe me; I actually wound up walking away from him shaking my head. And then your Lesnar incident happened," Punk said looking down shamefully and clenching his jaw, "I was mad that night when you yelled at me, but I was more pissed about Cena helping Ryback then anything else. I was coming back to apologize when The Shield caught me and made me watch what Heyman had Lesnar do to you."

Punk paused as he inhaled a deep breath angry at himself for not stopping the incident.

"But thank god for The Miz, right?" Punk chuckled in a Dad sort of way, shaking his head ashamed he couldn't have stopped this, "He looks good on you by the way, Joanna and I'm happy that through all of this you could find someone to trust. Anyway, I digress, after that Heyman threatened that if I didn't play his game that he would go after you more and next time their wouldn't be someone to stop Lesnar and him. He said that he would do something more drastic than ever before if I didn't play along. Of course, I didn't play along all the way."

Punk smirked, his classic smirk that made Jo smile as her tears continued to streak down her face. Even in this hell that she had lived through the last few months, Punk could still make her heart melt.

"Losing the WWE Championship to The Rock… that was a part of my plan. The Undertaker ordeal at Mania, all Heyman, but after Mania I'm taking a nice long three month vacation from this place and you're coming with me back to Chicago." Punk said as Jo began to see him tear up too, "You and I, Joanna, we're a team and all of this I did to try and protect you, but from what I've been hearing it's hurt you more than I ever wanted it too.

"Joanna, look at me when I say," Punk said as Jo picked her head up, "You're my daughter and I'll love you more than you will ever know. Don't let anyone tell you can't do anything and you are not anyone's kryptonite and you never will be. I love you, darling and don't you forget that."

"Even though I think you're still a moron Punk, I love you too," Jo said as she wiped the tears away from her eyes and smiled back at the laptop.

"I'm sure whatever you said in front, 'I love you too' was totally justified. Let's move on from that, you and I are going to have a lot to work on after this, but we have one more matter to attend too before I take my leave and that's this." Punk said as he raised the locket Jo had gotten the previous Christmas that she had thrown away after the night of The Shield attack on her, "I believe this belongs to you if you still want it, I understand if you don't, but when you do, Randy has it."

"He does?" questioned Jo looking at the bed that contained the sleeping Viper.

"Yep and I understand if you don't want it right away, but I'd love to see you wear it at Mania because I'll be watching you. You didn't think I'd miss my own daughter's debut did you?" Punk said with a weak smile looking into the camera as he turned his attention elsewhere, "Sounds like Paul and Lesnar are back, and I have to go. And I know there are a lot of questions going on in that head of yours right now, but follow your heart Jo. It's never lead you astray before…"

With that the screen cut to black as Jo sat there blinking in confusion at what she had just seen. Was it real? Was it all real? Could she trust Punk after all of this or was it just another part of Heyman's plan? This may have hurt more than helped her in the long run. She sighed as she walked back to the couch that had become her bed on Randy's tour bus.

As she looked down she found the locket sitting on the nightstand. Randy must have placed it there when she wasn't looking earlier that night. She shook her head and shut off the light as she curled up into her comforter.

As Jo whispered into the dark night for the first time in many months, "Good night, Dad, wherever you are and I know that I love you, but when we finally get through this I'm punching you so hard."

(XXXX)

***looks at Rupert* *looks at audience* *looks back at Rupert* I bet nobody saw that coming. And hey the next chapter is 10 so things are about to get interesting… oh boy…**

**Shout-outs go to:**

**Story Alert: From Ritz to Rubble, RANDOM COOKIE NINJA, and caz21**

**Favorite Story: randyortonfanforeva, From Ritz to Rubble, and sammijo42589**

**Reviews: caz21, IxHearxVoicesx531, randyortonfanforeva, Sonib89, Dixiewinxwrites12 (you are very welcome and thank you for such a wonderful review!) and WhiteAsukalover**

**I think this is the most interest the story has had since it was posted… And sorry for the wait this week all, it seems that I had an idea of what to do and then you have no idea how to do it? Yea, that me this last week…**

**So until next time, go camping with one of your best friends, update a story you haven't touched in a year and half (hahaha, that's me again), and be pumped to go see a concert at the end of the week!**

**~always with much love ~L.**

**See you next time! Review?**


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